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The  Prophet  Daniel 

A  KEY   TO   the   VISIONS  AND   PROPHECIES   OF 
THE   BOOK   OF   DANIEL 


By  A.  C.  GAEBELEIN 

Editor  of  "OUR   HOPE";  Author  of  '^EXPOSITION  OF 

MATTHEW,"     -HARMONY     OF     THE 

PROPHETIC  WORD,"  '«THE  LORD 

OF   GLORY,"    Etc. 


PUBLICATION  OFFICE  '*OUR  HOPE" 

456  FOURTH  AVENUE 

NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 


Copyright  1911.  by  A.  C.  Gaebelein 


PriBtiog  by 

FRANCIS  E.  FITCH,  Inc. 

47  Broftd  Street.  New  York 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction     .     ......     .     .     .        i 

CHAPTER 

I  Daniel  and  His  Companions  in  Baby- 
lon      II 

II  Nebuchadnezzar's  Dream      ....       17 
III-VI  The  Moral  and  Religious  Condi- 
tions of  the  Times  of  the  Gentiles      39 

III  The  Image  of  Gold 42 

IV  Nebuchadnezzar's  Dream  Vision,  His 

Insanity  and  Restoration  ...       48 
V  Belshazzar's  Feast  and  the  Fall  of 

Babylon ,       54 

VI  The  Decree  of  Darius  the  Mede,  Dan- 
iel in  the  Lion's  Den  and  His  De- 
liverance      62 

VII  Daniel's    Night    Visions    and    Their 

Meaning 71 

VIII  The  Vision  of  the  Ram  and  He-Goat  .       92 
IX  The  Great  Prophecy  of  the  Seventy 

Weeks 119 

X  The  Preparation  for  the  Final  Pro- 
phecy       151 

i 


ii  CONTENTS 

XI  The  Wars  of  the  Ptolemies  and  Seleu- 
ciDAE  Predicted.  The  Coming 
Events  of  the  Time  of  the  End  .  i66 
XII  The  End  of  the  Prophecy.  The  Great 
Tribulation  and  Israelis  Deliver- 
ance.    JsLE  Epilogue     .    ,.^    .     >     196 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 
Introduction 

The  Book  of  Daniel  with  its  great  prophecies, 
both  fulfilled  and  unfulfilled,  is  one  of  the  most 
interesting  portions  of  God's  Holy  Word.  Before 
we  follow  this  blessed  book  in  a  series  of  studies  a 
few  general  remarks  on  Prophecy  and  its  import- 
ance may  be  in  order. 

Prophecy  is  history  prewritten.  The  center  of 
all  Prophecy  and  the  goal  as  well  is  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  His  sufferings  and  His  Glory,  His  two 
Comings,  as  Man  of  Sorrows  to  suffer  and  to  die, 
as  King  of  Glory  to  reign  were  beheld  and  written 
in  advance  by  the  holy  men  of  God  through  the 
power  of  God's  Spirit.  The  entire  history  of  the 
chosen  people  Israel  is  written  in  the  prophetic 
Word.  All  their  sufferings  and  wanderings,  what 
has  befallen  them  in  the  past;  their  present  lot, 
scattered  among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth ;  what  | 
is  yet  to  come  upon  them  in  tribulation  and  judg- 
ment, as  well  as  blessing  and  peace,  are  found  pre- 
written in  the  Bible.  The  history  of  nations,  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles,  the  present  age  in  which  we 
live,  its  course  and  end,  the  coming  glories  in  a 
future  age,  all  this  and  much  more  God  has  been 


3  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

pleased  to  reveal  to  us  in  His  Word.     By  far  the 
greater  part  of  the  Bible  is  Prophecy. 

In  view  of  such  a  marvellous  Book  with  divine 
and  infallible  predictions  concerning  this  earth  and 
its  future,  the  destiny  of  nations,  one  can  hardly 
understand  why  the  professing  church  of  to-day 
should  almost  completely  ignore  and  neglect  the 
study  of  Prophecy.  Yet  such  is  the  case.  The 
study  of  a  Book  like  Daniel,  or  the  great  New 
Testament  prophetic  book,  the  Revelation,  is 
frowned  upon  by  many.  The  great  majority  of 
professing  Christians  have  little  desire  to  know 
what  God  has  said  concerning  the  future.  They 
rather  listen  to  the  theories  or  dreams  of  the  human 
mind  than  to  God's  plan,  how  He  is  going  to  bring 
this  earth  to  a  knowledge  of  Himself.  This  rejec- 
tion of  what  God  says  about  the  future  appears 
strange  and  inconsistent,  when  one  thinks  of  the 
natural  eagerness  and  curiosity  of  the  human  heart 
to  know  the  future.  Thousands  of  fortune  tellers, 
astrologers,  demon  possessed  mediums,  who  ask 
the  dead,  make  a  fine  living  throughout  Qiristen- 
dom  and  profit  greatly  by  the  desire  of  thousands 
to  know  a  little  about  the  future.  It  is  said  that  the 
great  rulers  of  Europe,  the  rulers  of  the  so-called 
Christian  nations,  employ  and  have  employed 
clairvoyants  and  mediums.  And  here  in  the 
Bible  God  has  uncovered  the  future,  but  a  few 
of  His  people  pay  any  attention  to  it.  We  say 
it  is  strange  indeed.  But  behind  this  fact  looms 
up  the  dark  shadow  of  the  enemy  of  the  Truth, 
Satan. 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  3 

And  this  almost  absolute  neglect  of  the  study  of 
Prophecy  has  avenged  itself.  On  account  of  it 
Christendom  has  sunk  into  the  deplorable  condi- 
tion in  which  it  is  to-day.  The  denial  of  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Bible  has  become  widespread.  If 
Prophecy  were  intelligently  studied  such  a  denial 
could  not  flourish  as  it  does,  for  Prophecy  gives  the 
clearest  and  most  conclusive  evidence,  that  the 
Bible  is  the  inspired  and  infallible  Word  of  God. 
Because  the  study  of  Prophecy  has  been  set  aside 
scepticism  has  come  in.  One  of  the  most  powerful 
answers  to  infidelity  is  Prophecy. 

The  prophetic  Word  neglected  leaves  man  igno- 
rant of  God's  plan  and  the  future  and  man  becomes 
the  easy  prey  of  lying  inventions  and  delusive 
theories.  For  this  reason  we  see  about  us  among 
Christians  an  unscriptural  optimism,  which  holds 
in  theory  and  practice,  the  very  opposite  from  what 
the  Bible  teaches;  an  optimism,  which  has  no  use 
for  the  solemn  declarations  of  the  Word,  that  this 
age  is  an  evil  age  and  that  it  will  close  with 
apostasy  and  judgment.  All  the  present  evil  condi- 
tions, the  denial  of  the  faith,  the  indifference  and 
worldliness  of  professing  Christians  are  the  result 
of  ignoring  Prophecy. 

And  if  we.  His  people,  have  learned  to  "love  His 
appearing"  and  know  of  the  coming  manifestation 
of  our  ever  blessed  Lord,  the  consummation  to 
which  all  prophecy  points,  we  too  must  beware  of 
neglecting  Prophecy.  It  is  the  lamp,  which  shineth 
in  a  dark  place  till  the  Day  dawn.  Never  before  is 
there  such  need  of  this  lamp  as  now.     The  dark 


4  THE  PROPHET  DANIEU 

place,  the  present  age,  becomes  darker.  The 
darker  the  night,  the  more  the  lamp  is  needed  and 
the  brighter  shine  its  rays.  When  the  Daydawn, 
with  the  blessed  Morningstar  comes,  then  we  do 
not  need  the  lamp  any  more.  But  now  we  are 
cast  upon  that  lamp ;  we  cannot  do  without  it.  We 
need  to  turn  more  to  the  sure  Word  of  Prophecy. 
Many  of  God's  people  had  a  far  greater  interest  in 
Prophecy  years  ago.  We  have  grown  somewhat 
cold  in  the  study  of  it  and  have  advanced  but  little 
in  it.  Such  neglect  must  result  in  spiritual  loss. 
The  prophetic  Word  puts  before  our  hearts  "things 
not  yet  seen."  As  we  look  in  faith  upon  these  un- 
seen and  future  things  we  shall  estimate  present 
things  in  their  light  and  that  will  determine  our 
character  and  conduct  as  Christians.  We  shall 
walk  then  in  separation  from  that  which  is  ripening 
for  judgment  and  our  service  will  be  rendered  with 
God's  purposes  in  view. 

At  the  present  time  we  behold  a  world  progress, 
a  progress  in  civilization,  an  extension  of  commerce 
as  well  as  great  religious  movements  on  a  large 
scale,  which  the  age  has  never  witnessed  before. 
These  very  things  are  used  by  the  "god  of  this 
age"  to  blind  the  eyes  to  the  real  conditions  of  the 
age.  We  too,  dear  friends,  shall  share  this  blind- 
ness in  a  certain  degree,  if  we  neglect  a  closer  study 
of  Prophecy. 

But  a  continued  study  of  Prophecy  is  impossible 
unless  we  are  separated  from  the  world  and  live  in 
the  real  enjoyment  of  our  fellowship  with  Grod. 
And  the  continued  prayerful   study   of  Prophecy 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  5 

must  result  in  separation  and  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  nearness  of  God,  and  that  is  what  we  all  want. 
The  statement  one  hears  sometimes  from  good 
Christian  people,  "I  have  not  much  use  for 
Prophecy,"  is  a  bad  testimony  for  the  spiritual  con- 
dition of  the  one  who  speaks  thus. 

The  Importance  of  the  Book  of  Daniel.  The  im- 
portance of  the  Book  of  Daniel  in  many  ways  can- 
not be  overestimated.  Sir  Isaac  Newton  said,  "to 
reject  Daniel  is  to  reject  the  Christian  religion." 
We  might  say  to  ignore  the  great  prophecies,  which 
were  given  to  this  wonderful  man  of  God,  leaves  us 
without  any  knowledge  of  the  prophetic  Word  con- 
cerning "things  to  come."  These  prophecies, 
which  were  given  at  a  time  when  Israel  was  set 
aside  nationally  when  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be- 
gan, give  a  vista  of  the  centuries  down  to  the  end, 
when  God  resumes  His  relation  with  His  earthly 
people  and  sets  up  His  own  Kingdom  from  above. 
Our  Lord  refers  to  Daniel  in  His  great  prophetic 
Olivet  Discourse.  Hence  that  discourse  can  only 
be  correctly  i  nderstood  in  the  light  of  the  Book  of 
Daniel.  The  1  .st  Book  of  the  Bible,  the  Book 
of  Revelation,  the  only  prophetic  Book  of  the  New 
Testament,  would  ever  be  a  sci'ied  Book,  if  we  had 
not  the  prophecies  of  Daniel,  ai.  d  the  prophecies  of 
Daniel  would  in  part  remain  sealed  if  we  had  not 
Revelation.  Both  books,  the  one  written  by  the 
man  greatly  beloved  and  the  other  by  the  beloved 
disciple,  must  be  studied  together  and  are  the  keys 
to  the  entire  prophetic  Word. 

The  Authenticity  of  the  Bo^k,     No  other  book 


6  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

has  been  so  much  attacked  as  the  Book  of  Daniel. 
It  is  fitted  to  be  the  battlefield  between  faith  and 
unbelief;  such  it  has  been.  For  about  2,000  yearar 
wicked  men,  heathen  philosophers  and  infidels  have 
hammered  away  against  it;  but  the  Book  of  Daniel 
has  proven  to  be  an  anvil  upon  which  the  critics' 
hammers  have  been  broken  into  pieces.  The  Book 
has  survived  all  attacks  and  we  need  not  fear  that 
the  weak  and  puerile  critics,  the  most  subtle  infidels 
of  Christendom  in  our  day  can  harm  the  Book.  It 
has  been  denied  that  Daniel  wrote  the  book  during 
the  Babylonian  captivity.  Kuenen  and  Wellhau- 
sen  and  their  imitating  disciples  like  Canon  Farrar, 
Driver  and  others  of  inferior  calibre  claim  that  the 
work  was  not  written  in  the  Exile,  but  centuries 
later.  Daniel  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  Book  at 
all ;  a  holy  and  gifted  Jew  wrote  it  instead  and  it  is 
avowed  fiction.  Such  are  a  few  of  the  infidel  state- 
ments made  against  this  sublime  book.  These 
critics  follow  the  wicked  assailant  of  Christianity 
of  the  thirr'  Century,  Porphyry,  who  contended  that 
the  Book  of  Daniel  is  a  forgery,  that  'c  was  written 
during  the  time  of  the  Maccabees,  after  Antiochus 
Epphanes,  so  clearly  foretold  in  this  book,  had  ap- 
peared. The  whole  ^'easoning  method  of  the  de- 
structive Bible-Critic  om  may  be  reduced  to  the  fol- 
lowing: Prophecy  v  an  impossibility,  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  foretelling  events  to  come.  There- 
fore a  book  which  contains  predictions  must  have 
been  written  after  th(  events  which  are  predicted. 
But  how  could  the  man  who  committed  such  a 
forgery  be  a  pious  J^w?    No,  the  Book  of  Daniel  is 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  7 

either  Divine  or  it  is  a  colossal  forgery  and  im- 
posture.   No  middle  ground  is  possible. 

To  follow  all  the  arguments  for  the  authenticity 
of  Daniel  would  be  impossible.  However  we  men- 
tion a  few. 

The  so-called  Septuagint  version  of  the  Old 
Testament  (a  translation  into  Greek)  was  undoubt- 
edly made  before  the  times  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes, 
the  Syrian  enemy  who  fell  into  Israel's  land  and 
defiled  the  temple.  Inasmuch  as  the  Septuagint 
contains  the  Book  of  Daniel,  it  antedates  the  time 
of  Antiochus  Epiphanes. 

The  great  Jewish  historian  Josephus  tells  us  that 
when  Alexander  the  Great,  who  is  also  mentioned 
in  Daniel's  Prophecies,  came  to  Jerusalem  in  the 
year  332  B.  C.  Jaddua,  the  high  priest,  showed  him 
the  prophecies  of  Daniel.  Alexander  was  greatly 
impressed  with  it. 

But  the  highest  authority  for  the  authenticity  of 
this  Book  is  our  Lord.  He  speaks  of  "Daniel  the 
Prophet"  (Matthew  xxiv.  15).  No  other  witness 
is  needed.  Whosoever  sets  aside  the  Book  of 
Daniel,  rejects  the  infallible  testimony  of  the  Son  of 
God. 

The  Division  and  Analysis  of  the  Book.  The 
Book  of  Daniel  is  composed  of  tw^o  parts  and  it  is 
written  in  two  languages.  We  may  therefore 
divide  the  Book  in  a  twofold  way. 

The  first  six  chapters  form  the  first  part  of  the 
Book.  These  chapters  do  not  contain  prophecies 
by  Daniel.  We  see  the  Prophet  as  the  divinely 
chosen  interpreter  of  what  had  been  revealed  to 


8  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

Nebuchadnezzar  in  dreams.  In  the  great  dream  in 
the  second  chapter  the  period  of  time  is  revealed 
which  in  Scripture  is  called  "The  Times  of  the 
Gentiles."  These  extend  from  the  time  God  with- 
drew from  Jerusalem,  where  His  Glory  dwelt,  until 
His  Throne  is  once  more  established  upon  the  earth. 
Then  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  are  ended.  Chap- 
ters iii-vi  reveal  in  histories  in  which  the  Prophet 
and  his  associates  are  concerned,  the  moral  conduct 
of  the  great  world  powers;  what  the  times  of  the 
Gentiles  are  morally  and  religiously  is  here  made 
known.  All  has  likewise  a  specific  meaning  in  con- 
nection with  the  "time  of  the  end." 

The  Second  part  of  the  Book  comprises  Chapters 
vii-xii.  In  this  part  are  recorded  the  communi- 
cations which  God  made  to  Daniel.  Here  we  find 
no  longer  dreams  but  visions.  These  visions  also 
concern  tl^e  times  of  Gentiles.  In  the  seventh 
chapter  the  same  ground  is  gone  over  which  is 
covered  by  the  second  chapter,  only  much  more 
is  added.  Then  we  find  the  relationship  of  these 
nations  to  Israel  and  what  is  to  happen  in  "the 
time  of  the  end,"  that  is  the  few  years  which  pre- 
cede the  complete  overthrow  of  the  dominion  of  the 
Gentiles  and  the  establishment  of  the  Kingdom  of 
heaven  on  the  earth.  The  "time  of  the  end,"  this 
prophetic  period,  has  not  yet  come,  nor  can  it  come 
as  long  as  the  church  is  on  earth.  In  this  part  we 
find  the  revelations  concerning  the  two  little  horns, 
and  the  Anti-christ. 

But  we  must  also  consider  the  fact  that  the  Book 
of  Daniel  was  written  by  the  Prophet  in  two  Ian- 


THE   PROPHET  DANIEL  9 

guages.  The  first  chapter  is  written  in  Hebrew 
and  so  are  chapters  viii-xii.  But  chapters  ii.  4-vii. 
28  are  written  in  Aramaic,  the  language  of  these 
eastern  empires.  The  reason  for  this  is  very- 
simple.  What  concerns  these  empires  is  written 
down  in  their  own  language  and  what  concerns  the 
Jews  is  written  in  Hebrew.  Both  languages  are 
evidences  that  Daniel  wrote  the  Book.  The 
Hebrew  especially  is  the  same  in  style  as  the 
Hebrew  of  Ezekiel. 

The  Personality  of  Daniel.  We  know  more  of 
the  personal  history  of  Daniel,  of  his  character, 
than  of  any  of  the  other  Prophets.  What  a  man  of 
faith  he  was!  In  the  great  Faith  chapter  of  the 
New  Testament,  in  the  cloud  of  witnesses,  his  name 
is  not  mentioned,  but  his  deeds  are  there.  "  Who 
through  faith  subdued  kingdoms,  wrought  right- 
eousness, obtained  promises,  stopped  the  mouths  of 
lions  (Hebrews  xi.  33).  Who  is  able  to  describe 
this  truly  great  man?  As  a  mere  lad  he  was  brought 
from  Jerusalem  to  Babylon.  In  a  short  time  he  rose 
to  the  highest  position  in  the  empire.  He  continued 
even  unto  the  first  year  of  King  Cyrus.  What 
faithfulness  is  exhibited  in  his  life.  His  depend- 
ence on  God,  His  deep  piety  and  humility  are  men- 
tioned in  nearly  every  chapter  of  the  Book.  He 
was  a  great  man  of  prayer.  He  talked  with  angels 
and  the  angel  Gabriel  addressed  him  thrice  as  "  the 
man  greatly  beloved."  The  Lord  appeared  unto 
him  and  he  had  the  visions  of  God.  He  outlived 
the  captivity  of  seventy  years  and  was  a  very  old 
man  when  Jehovah,  whom  he  knew  so  well  and 


lo  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

whom  he  had  so  greatly  honored  by  his  faith,  gave 
him  the  promise.  "  But  go  thy  way  till  the  end 
be;  for  thou  shalt  rest,  and  stand  in  thy  lot  at  the 
«nd  of  the  days  "  (Chapter  xii.  13). 


CHAPTER    I 

Daniel  and  His  Companions  in  Babylon 

This  chapter  forms  the  introduction  to  the  Book. 
In  the  foreground  stands  the  sad  history  of  Jeru- 
salem. 

In  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim  king  of 
Judah,  came  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon  unto 
Jerusalem  and  besieged  it.  And  the  Lord  gave  Jehoia- 
kim king  of  Judah  into  his  land,  with  part  of  the  ves- 
sels of  the  house  of  God ;  which  he  carried  in  the  land 
of  Shinar  to  the  house  of  his  god;  and  he  brought  the 
vessels  into  the  treasure  house  of  his  god. 

Divine  judgment  so  long  threatened  and  for  so 
many  years  announced  by  God's  holy  Prophets 
came  at  last  upon  Jerusalem.  The  instrument 
chosen  by  God  to  execute  His  judgments  was 
Nebuchadnezzar.  Three  times  he  came  against 
Jerusalem.  In  606  B.  C.  he  appeared  the  first  time. 
This  is  the  visitation  mentioned  here.  In  598  he 
came  again  and  took  away  a  larger  number  of  peo- 
ple, including  Ezekiel.  In  587  he  completed  the 
work  and  burned  the  City.  Jehovah  had  His  glor- 
ious dwelling  place  in  Jerusalem  in  the  midst  of  His 

11 


12  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

people  till  they  had  completely  failed,  and  when 
Nebuchadnezzar  appeared  Jerusalem  was  given 
over  to  the  Gentiles  and  the  times  of  the  Gentiles 
began.  The  characteristic  of  the  times  of  the  Gen- 
tiles is  that  Jerusalem  is  trodden  down.  But  as  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles  had  a  definite  beginning  so 
will  they  have  a  definite  end  and  then  Jerusalem 
will  no  longer  be  trodden  down,  but  become  the 
city  of  the  great  King.  How  the  times  of  the  Gen- 
tiles end  we  shall  find  in  Daniel's  great  prophecies. 
In  the  command  of  the  king  to  Ashpenaz  the 
master  of  his  eunuchs  to  bring  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  of  the  king's  seed  and  of  princes  to 
Babylon  for  a  thorough  Chaldean  education,  we 
have  the  fulfillment  of  another  prophecy.  It  is 
written  in  Isaiah  xxxix.  7.  "  And  of  thy  sons  that 
shall  issue  from  thee,  which  thou  shalt  beget,  shall 
they  take  away;  and  they  shall  be  eunuchs  in  the 
palace  of  the  king  of  Babylon."  Among  these  cap- 
tives were  the  four  lads  with  their  significant 
names,  names  full  of  hope  and  assurance.  Daniel 
(God  is  my  Judge) ;  Hananiah  (Beloved  of  the 
Lord)  ;  Mishael  (Who  is  as  God)  and  Azariah  (The 
Lord  is  my  help).  But  their  pleasant  names  were 
changed.  And  what  horrible  names  they  received 
instead:  Daniel  becomes  Belteshazzar,  which 
means  "  Bel's  Prince "  as  Nebuchadnezzar  said 
himself  "  according  to  the  name  of  my  god  "  (iv.  8). 
Hananiah  is  named  Shadrach.  Rak  was  the  name 
of  the  Sungod  and  the  name  means  "  Illumined  by 
the  Sungod."  Mishael  was  called  Meshach.  It 
will  be  seen  that  the  last  syllable  in  his  name  "  El  " 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  13 

which  means  God,  was  changed  into  Shach.  This 
in  all  probability  is  the  name  of  a  goddess  like 
Venus.  So  they  changed  his  name  from  "  Who  is 
as  God  "  to  "  Who  is  like  Venus."  Azariah  became 
Abednego  "  the  servant  of  Nego,"  another  false 
god.  Behind  this  change  of  names  stands  a  satanic 
attempt  to  wipe  out  the  memory  of  Jerusalem  and 
to  have  these  noble  young  men  give  up  their  separa- 
tion and  become  assimilated  by  the  Gentiles. 

But  Babylon  had  not  reckoned  with  the  faithful 
God  of  Israel.  He  overshadowed  with  His  grace 
the  poor,  lonely  captives,  and  the  next  we  read  is 
that  Daniel  takes  a  positive  stand.  Thus  the  great 
prophet  is  introduced.  He  was  perhaps  about  14 
years  old.  First  he  purposed  in  his  heart  that  he 
would  not  defile  himself  with  that  which  accord- 
ing to  the  Law  of  God  was  unclean.  No  doubt  this 
fixed  purpose  came  to  the  lad  by  meditation  on  the 
Law  and  through  communion  with  God.  He  thus 
manifested  a  complete  separation  from  the  world 
and  its  ways.  The  next  step  was  that  he  made 
this  purpose  known.  And  when  he  had  acted  in 
faith  he  discovered  that  God  had  gone  before.  It 
was  God  who  had  brought  him  in  favor  and  tender 
love  with  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs.  Then  came 
the  test.  They  are  put  on  their  simple  diet  of  pulse 
and  water  and  after  ten  days  (ten  is  in  Scripture 
the  number  of  testing  and  trial)  their  countenances 
appeared  fairer  and  fatter  in  flesh,  than  the  children 
who  ate  the  king's  meat.  But  God  does  always 
more  than  we  can  ask  or  think  and  so  besides  giv- 
ing them  bodily   strength   and   fairness   He   gave 


14  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

them  much  more  spiritually.  "  As  for  these  four 
children,  God  gave  them  knowledge  and  skill  in  all 
learning  and  wisdom,  and  Daniel  had  understand- 
ing in  all  visions  and  dreams." 

Daniel  and  his  companions  witness  to  the  fact 
that  God  has  a  faithful  remnant  among  His  people 
even  in  the  days  of  apostasy  and  judgment.  These 
faithful  ones  headed  by  Daniel  are  types  of  the 
faithful  remnant  of  Jews,  suffering  and  bearing 
witness  during  the  time  of  the  end,  the  great  trib- 
ulation.    Of  this  we  shall  hear  more  later. 

But  this  chapter  has  also  blessed  lessons  for  us. 
We  as  God's  people  are  in  the  midst  of  a  world 
which  is  antagonistic  to  God  and  His  Truth.  This 
great  Babylon  presses  upon  us  and  would,  if  it  were 
possible,  blot  out  every  phase  of  Divine  truth  and 
rob  us  of  all  our  joy  and  peace.  How  well  this 
great  enemy  of  God  succeeds !  Look  about  and  see 
the  thousands  and  thousands  of  God's  people  who 
instead  of  being  transformed  are  conformed  to  this 
world.  They  have  fallen  in  line  with  this  present 
evil  age  and  instead  of  being  separated,  they  walk 
in  its  ways  and  hence  they  are  barren  in  spiritual 
things.  Our  constant  danger  is  that  we  give  up 
our  separation  and  go  along  with  the  world.  And 
let  us  not  think  so  much  of  the  pleasures  of  this 
world,  the  attractive  things  for  the  senses,  the 
world  spirit  which  reaches  out  in  coveteousness 
after  the  possession  and  enjoyment  of  earthly 
things;  that  no  doubt  is  included.  But  think  of 
what  is  called  the  "  great  religious  world."  That  is 
Babylon  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word — confusion. 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  15 

In  the  religious  world  we  have  the  confusion  of 
tongues.  From  what  man  has  made,  what  man  has 
built  up,  the  traditions  and  commandments  of  men, 
from  all  which  is  contrary  to  His  Word  and  His 
Will,  we  are  called  to  separate.  Do  we  desire  a 
deeper  knowledge  of  His  Word  and  of  Himself? 
Are  we  craving  for  a  more  real  enjoyment  of  the 
things  of  God?  Do  we  want  more  spiritual  wis- 
dom and  understanding?  The  way  is  plain.  We 
must  be  separated  from  that  which  is  evil.  We  too 
must  take  a  positive  stand  and  dare  to  stand  alone 
and  cast  ourselves  upon  a  faithful  Lord.  It  is  this 
which  is  taught  in  the  beginning  of  the  xii  chap- 
ter of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  "  I  beseech 
you  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that 
ye  present  your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  ac- 
ceptable unto  God  which  is  your  reasonable  service. 
And  be  not  conformed  to  this  world  (age),  but  be 
ye  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind,  that 
ye  may  prove  what  is  that  good,  and  acceptable  and 
perfect  will  of  God."  We  must  "  cease  from  evil " 
and  then  we  can  learn  and  understand.  The  lack 
of  power  and  enjoyment,  the  indifference  of  which 
we  are  so  often  conscious,  the  little  true  heart 
knowledge  we  possess  of  the  things  of  the  Lord, 
the  little  real  communion  with  Himself  is  the  result 
of  being  conformed  to  this  age.  Surely  God  calls 
us  in  these  closing  days,  as  He  does  all  His  people, 
to  separation  from  that  which  is  evil. 

But  as  it  was  with  the  Jewish  lad  Daniel,  so  it 
must  be  with  us.  Meditation  on  the  Word  and  com- 
munion with  the  Lord  must  occupy  the  first  place. 


i6  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

Then  after  the  heart  has  purposed,  the  decisive 
stand  and  faith  laying  hold  on  God  for  strength 
.will  follow.  Then  we  shall  find  Him  true  as  it  was 
the  case  with  Daniel.  The  faithfulness  of  the  Lord 
becomes  a  blessed  reality  in  the  path  of  separation. 
We  too  shall  find  an  increase  in  true  wisdom,  in 
heart  knowledge  and  progress  in  the  truth. 
Spiritual  knowledge  cannot  be  learned,  but  it  is  the 
gift  of  God.  If  we  acknowledge  our  weakness  and 
emptiness,  and  cast  ourselves  upon  Him,  He  will 
give  that  knowledge  we  need. 

But  notice  also  that  while  Daniel  and  his  com- 
panions refused  to  be  defiled  by  the  King's  meat 
and  drink,  they  did  not  go  without  eating  and 
drinking.  That  would  have  meant  starvation. 
They  ate  pulse  and  drank  water.  Pulse  means 
some  kind  of  a  vegetable.  It  was  a  simple  fare 
on  which  they  fed.  And  this  likewise  has  a  mean- 
ing. While  we  turn  away  from  the  world  and  its 
ways  we  have  something  to  feed  on,  which  makes 
up  for  all.  Our  food  is  Christ  Himself  and  we  have 
the  water,  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And 
as  we  feed  on  Christ  and  are  led  by  His  Spirit  we 
shall  increase  in  knowledge  and  grow  in  the  grace 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  His  power  will  keep  us 
in  an  evil  day. 


CHAPTER  II 

Nebuchadnczzar*s  Dream 

The  second  chapter  introduces  us  to  the  first 
great  prophetic  unfolding.  It  may  well  be  called 
one  of  the  great  pivotal  chapters  of  the  Bible.  It 
is  the  foundation  of  all  the  other  visions  which  fol- 
low in  this  Book.  The  same  revelation  we  find 
here  is  given  in  another  form  in  the  seventh  chap- 
ter, only  more  fully.  Let  us  remind  ourselves  that 
with  the  4th  verse  of  this  chapter  Daniel  used  the 
Aramaic — Babylonian  language.  It  is  used  by  the 
Prophet  to  the  end  of  the  Seventh  Chapter.  After 
that  he  writes  in  Hebrew.  This  in  itself  is  a  strong 
argument  for  the  genuineness  of  the  Book  for  after 
the  Babylonian  captivity  Aramaic  became  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Jewish  people.  If  an  impostor  had 
written  the  book  he  would  have  written  it  exclu- 
sively in  Aramaic.  But  as  already  stated  the  chap- 
ters written  by  Daniel  in  Aramaic  concern  the  great 
empires  which  used  this  language  and  the  other 
chapters  concern  the  Jewish  people.  Now,  if  we 
divide  these  prophecies  with  this  fact  in  mind  we 
have  at  the  beginning  of  the  Aramaic  portion  the 
great  dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar  and  at  the  close 
the  vision  of  Daniel,  so  that  the  heathen  King  and 

17 


i8  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

the  Prophet  of  God  received  both  communications 
concerning  the  great  world  monarchies,  the  one  by 
a  dream  and  the  other  in  dream  visions.  But  if  we 
divide  the  Book  in  the  other  way,  that  is,  make  the 
First  part,  Chapter  i-vi  and  the  second  from  Chap- 
ter vii-xii,  then  we  find  that  each  portion  (leaving 
out  the  first  chapter  which  is  introductory)  has  for 
its  heading  the  times  of  the  Gentiles. 

The  Times  of  the  Gentiles.  This  expression 
"  The  times  of  the  Gentiles  "  is  not  found  in  the 
Book  of  Daniel,  but  it  is  a  New  Testament  phrase. 
Our  Lord  used  it  exclusively.  In  that  part  of  His 
prophetic  discourse  which  is  reported  in  the  Gospel 
of  Luke  and  which  relates  to  the  fall  of  Jerusalem 
and  the  dispersion  of  the  nation,  our  Lord  said, 
"  And  they  shall  fall  by  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and 
shall  be  led  away  captive  into  all  nations ;  and  Jeru- 
salem shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles  until 
the  times  of  the  Gentiles  shall  be  fulfilled  "  (Luke 
xxi.  24).  Now,  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  did  not 
begin  v/hen  Jerusalem  rejected  the  Lord  from 
heaven.  Our  Lord  does  not  say  that  the  times  of 
the  Gentiles  were  then  ushered  in.  The  times  of/- 
the  Gentiles  started  with  the  Babylonian  captivity 
by  Nebuchadnezzar.  The  Glory  of  the  Lord  de- 
parted from  Jerusalem.  The  other  great  Prophet 
of  the  captivity,  Ezekiel,  beheld  the  departure  of 
the  Shekinah.  "Then  did  the  Cherubim  lift  up 
their  wings,  and  the  wheels  beside  them;  and  the 
glory  of  the  God  of  Israel  was  over  them  above. 
And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  went  up  from  the  midst 
of  the  city,  and  stood  upon  the  mountain  which  is 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  19 

on  the  east  side  of  the  city"  (Ezekiel  xi.  22-23). 
But  before  that  Jeremiah  recorded  a  remarkable 
word.  These  are  the  words  of  Jehovah  concerning 
Nebuchadnezzar : 

I  have  made  the  earth,  the  man  and  the  beast  that 
are  upon  the  ground,  by  my  great  power  and  by  my  out- 
stretched arm,  and  have  given  it  unto  whom  it  seemed 
meet  unto  me.  And  now  have  I  given  all  these  lands 
into  the  hands  of  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  of  Babylon, 
my  servant ;  and  the  beasts  of  the  field  have  I  given  him 
also  to  serve  him.  And  all  nations  shall  serve  him,  and 
his  son,  and  his  son's  son,  until  the  very  time  of  his  land 
come :  and  then  many  nations  and  great  kings  shall  serve 
themselves  of  him.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  the 
nation  and  kingdom  which  will  not  serve  the  same 
Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  of  Babylon,  and  that  will  not 
put  their  neck  under  the  yoke  of  the  king  of  Babylon, 
that  nation  will  I  punish,  saith  the  Lord,  with  the  sword, 
and  with  the  famine,  and  with  the  pestilence,  until 
I  have  consumed  them  by  his  hand  (Jeremiah  xxvii. 
5-9). 

Jerusalem  had  been  supreme  because  the  throne 
and  the  glory  of  Jehovah  was  there.  Though  As- 
syria, Egypt  and  Babylon  had  tried  repeatedly  to 
overthrow  Jerusalem,  they  were  held  in  check  by 
the  power  of  God  and  Divine  intervention,  but 
when  the  measure  of  the  wickedness  of  Jerusalem 
was  full,  Nebuchadnezzar  was  chosen  to  become 
the  first  great  monarch  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles. 
The  dominion  was  then  taken  away  from  Jerusalem 
and  transferred  to  the  Gentiles. 

For  the  sake  of  clearness  we  mention  briefly  an- 
other phrase  which  occurs  likewise  only  once  in  the 


20  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

New  Testament  "  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles." 
The  times  of  the  Gentiles  and  *'  the  fullness  of  the 
Gentiles  "  do  not  mean  the  same  thing.  The  fullness 
of  the  Gentiles  mentioned  in  Romans  xi.,  that  great 
chapter  touching  the  status  of  Israel,  is  to  come  in 
first  before  that  blindness  which  has  happened  to 
Israel  in  part  is  removed.  "  Blindness  in  part  has 
happened  to  Israel  until  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles 
be  come  in"  (Rom.  xi.  25).  This  is  one  of  the 
mysteries  Paul  makes  known.  The  fullness  of  the 
Gentiles  means  the  full  number  of  that  people  taken 
out  from  among  the  Gentiles  (the  church).  The 
fullness  of  the  Gentiles  coming  in,  means  the  re- 
moval of  the  church  from  the  earth.  With  that 
event  Jewish  history  will  be  resumed  and  God  in 
His  Grace  will  call  the  remnant  for  their  work  dur- 
ing the  "  time  of  the  end." 

The  prophecies  in  Daniel  concern  the  times  of 
the  Gentiles.  Of  God's  purpose  in  this  present  age, 
the  calling  out  of  the  church,  Daniel  heard  and 
knew  nothing.  That  is  a  mystery  which  was  not 
known  in  Old  Testament  times.  (Eph.  iii.)  The 
prophecies  of  Daniel  are  therefore  somewhat  differ- 
ent from  the  prophecies  of  the  other  Prophets.  In 
the  land  the  Prophets  prophesied  concerning  their 
own  people,  warned  against  impending  judgments 
and  predicted  the  glorious  future  of  Jerusalem ;  out- 
side of  the  land  Daniel  had  visions  touching  the 
Gentiles  and  the  Gentile  events  which  will  precede 
the  setting  up  of  the  future  Kingdom  in  the  midst 
of  His  people. 

The  Forgotten  Dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar.     We 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  2i 

divide  this  chapter  into  five  parts.  1.  The  forgot- 
ten Dream  of  the  king.  2.  The  Prayer  meeting 
and  the  Divine  answer.     3.  Daniel  before  the  King. 

4.  The  Revelation  and  Interpretation  of  the  dream. 

5.  The  effect  upon  Nebuchadnezzar  and  the  promo- 
tion of  Daniel  and  his  companions. 

King  Nebuchadnezzar  had  a  great  dream,  which 
caused  him  much  trouble.  Later  Daniel  revealed 
that  which  had  occasioned  the  dream  of  the  King. 
"  As  for  thee,  O  King,  thy  thoughts  came  into  thy 
mind  upon  thy  bed,  what  shall  come  to  pass  here- 
after ;  and  He  that  telleth  secrets  maketh  known  to 
thee  what  shall  come  to  pass  "  (29th  verse).  How 
much  the  King  knew  of  what  had  been  spoken 
through  Jeremiah  concerning  the  dominion  God 
had  given  him,  we  do  not  know.  He  had  returned 
successfully  from  Jerusalem;  what  others  had  not 
accomplished  He  had,  and  now  he  thought  on  the 
future  of  his  empire,  of  what  should  be  hereafter, 
after  he  has  passed  away.  God  answered  this  de- 
sire by  a  dream.  It  is  one  of  the  great  dreams  of 
the  Bible,  in  which  God  reveals  His  purposes.  The 
dream  made  a  tremendous  impression  upon  the 
King.  He  called  his  wise  men  and  told  them  about 
his  troubled  spirit.  The  Chaldeans  were  quite 
ready  to  tell  the  King  what  the  dream  meant.  But 
the  King  had  forgotten  the  dream.  It  was  gone 
from  him.  The  King  demanded  that  the  wise  men 
tell  him  first  the  dream;  twice  they  demand  to 
know  the  dream  and  then  they  would  give  the  in- 
terpretation. The  King  realized  that  his  wise  men 
were  miserable  deceivers  who  prepared  corrupt  and 


22  THE    PROPHET    DANIEL 

lying  words.     They  in  turn  confessed  their  utter 
helplessness. 

The  Chaldeans  answered  before  the  King,  and  said, 
There  is  not  a  man  upon  the  earth  that  can  show  the 
King's  matter;  therefore,  there  is  no  king,  lord  nor 
ruler  that  asked  such  a  thing  at  any  magicians,  or  as- 
trologers, or  Chaldean.  And  it  is  a  rare  thing  the  King 
requireth,  and  there  is  none  other  that  can  show  it  be- 
fore the  King,  except  the  gods,  whose  dwelling  is  not 
with  flesh  (verses  lO-ii). 

Upon  this  bold  language,  in  which  the  wise  men 
confessed  their  helplessness  and  exposed  the  unrea- 
sonableness of  the  King's  request,  they  were  con- 
demned to  die.  "  And  they  sought  Daniel  and  his 
companions  to  be  slain."  They  had  received  in- 
structions in  the  Chaldean  mysteries,  and  were 
reckoned  with  the  wise  men. 

The  Prayer  Meeting  and  the  Divine  Answer. 
And  now  our  Daniel  steps  upon  the  scene.  And  it 
is  a  scene  of  the  greatest  calmness  and  faith.  It  is 
refreshing  to  see  how  the  man  of  faith  acted.  There 
is  no  hurry,  no  haste  connected  with  it  whatever. 
**  He  that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste."  It  is 
seen  from  the  text  that  Arioch  had  gone  forth  on 
his  mission  to  slay  the  wise  men,  and  this  captain 
of  the  King's  guard  came  to  Daniel.  He  answered 
him  with  counsel  and  wisdom.  Brought  before  the 
King  he  gave  him  the  assurance  that  if  the  King 
would  give  him  time  he  would  show  the  King  the 
interpretation.  But  notice  he  did  not  know  the  dream 
then.  He  was  as  ignorant  about  that  dream  as  the 
Chaldeans  were  and  yet  he  told  the  King  positively 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  23 

that  he  would  make  known  the  interpretation. 
This  was  the  language  of  faith.  He  had  confidence 
in  God.  He  knew  the  God  of  heaven  was  able  to 
make  known  that  dream  to  him,  for  God  gave  the 
dream.  Perhaps  Daniel  looked  back  in  faith  to  the 
history  of  another  captive,  another  Hebrew  lad  who 
was  in  a  strange  land  and  to  whom  God  gave  wis- 
dom, Joseph.  Would  God  disappoint  the  youthful 
Daniel  in  his  absolute  confidence  in  God?  God 
never  disappoints  faith.  Oh!  that  we  who  know 
that  the  mighty  power  of  God  is  towards  us,  might 
also  act  and  walk  more  in  faith,  our  most  blessed 
privilege!  When  Daniel  came  to  the  house  where 
his  three  friends  were,  he  told  them  what  had  hap- 
pened. Perhaps  they  were  amazed  at  his  faith. 
But  Daniel  got  them  on  their  knees  *'  that  they 
would  desire  mercies  of  the  God  of  heaven  concern- 
ing this  secret." 

What  a  scene  it  was!  The  four  young  men  on 
their  knees,  acknowledging  their  utter  helplessness 
to  the  God  of  heaven,  the  God  of  their  fathers  and 
asking  from  Him  mercies,  that  He  may  make  known 
the  dream.  It  was  a  prayer  meeting  in  Babylon 
and  the  leader  was  Daniel.  What  a  man  of  faith 
and  prayer  he  was!  Three  times  a  day,  we  read 
later,  he  had  his  windows  open  towards  Jerusalem. 
He  and  his  companions  knew  of  no  other  way  but 
the  way  of  prayer.  United  prayer  is  one  of  the 
greatest  needs  of  God^s  people  in  our  day.  Per- 
plexities and  difficulties  continually  increase.  The 
host  of  demons  and  their  work,  the  wiles  of  the 
devil  are  about  us  on  every  hand.     While  these 


24  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

wicked  powers  cast  themselves  upon  that  which 
professes  the  name  of  the  Lord,  God's  people  should 
cast  themselves  unitedly  upon  God.  What  more 
pleasant  occupation  could  wt  think  of  than  coming 
together  as  His  dearly  beloved  people  "  to  desire 
mercies  "  from  Him,  whom  we  do  not  address  as 
"  The  God  of  Heaven  "  but  "  The  God  and  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  He  is  waiting  for  the 
prayers  and  requests  of  His  people.  We  have  so 
little,  so  little  true  ministry  in  the  power  of  the 
Spirit,  so  little  insight  into  God's  purposes  and 
ways,  so  little  advance  in  spiritual  things,  because 
we  are  so  little  on  our  knees  "  desiring  mercies." 
And  the  lack  of  united  prayer  amongst  us  is  but  the 
result  of  little  real  prayer  in  secret. 

And  in  that  night  the  answer  came.  Not  to  the 
three  friends  of  Daniel  was  the  secret  made  known, 
but  God  made  it  known  to  Daniel  in  a  night  vision. 
So  to  speak  he  dreamt  over  the  dream  of  the  King. 
God  honored  Daniel,  because  he  had  honored  Him. 
And  upon  this  followed  one  of  the  most  simple  and 
beautiful  outbursts  of  praise  we  have  in  the  Bible. 
Read  it  and  see  how  Daniel  ascribes  everything  to 
God.  It  is  a  sevenfold  praise.  L  Wisdom  and 
might  are  His.  2.  He  changeth  the  times  and  the 
seasons.  3.  He  removeth  kings  and  setteth  up 
kings.  4.  He  giveth  wisdom  unto  the  wise  and 
knowledge  to  them  that  know  understanding.  5. 
He  revealeth  the  deep  and  the  secret  things.  6.  He 
knoweth  what  is  in  the  darkness  and  the  light 
dwelleth  with  Him.  7.  He  gives  praise  for  the 
revelation  of  what  had  been  asked.     How  perfect 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  25 

was  this  praise  to  God  concerning  Himself  and  His 
wonderful  ways. 

Daniel  before  the  King.  After  this  outburst  of 
praise,  giving  God  the  Glory,  Daniel  went  again  to 
Arioch,  who  had  been  commissioned  to  destroy  the 
wise  men  and  with  no  timid  request  he  appeared  be- 
fore him.  He  spoke  with  authority  as  the  mes- 
senger of  God.  And  Arioch  rushed  into  the  King's 
presence,  as  if  he  deserved  the  credit  for  having  dis- 
covered the  man,  who  will  give  the  interpretation. 
But  how  beautiful  is  Daniel  in  the  presence  of  the 
King.  He  stands  before  the  mighty  monarch. 
What  an  opportunity  to  be  elevated  and  glorify 
self.  But  Daniel  does  hide  himself  completely.  His 
God  he  puts  into  the  foreground  and  himself  all  out 
of  sight.  He  tells  the  King  that  there  is  a  God  in 
heaven  that  revealeth  secrets.  Nebuchadnezzar  is 
to  know  the  power  of  God  and  his  dependence  on 
Him.  Then  he  tells  the  King  that  God  has  made 
known  to  him  "  what  shall  be  in  the  latter  days." 
This  is  an  important  phrase.  It  corresponds  to 
"  the  time  of  the  end  "  in  the  second  half  of  Daniel. 
And  before  he  makes  known  the  dream  he  speaks  of 
himself  and  disclaims  all  honor  in  connection  with 
what  he  is  about  to  say  to  the  King.  "  But  as  for 
me  this  secret  is  not  revealed  unto  me  for  any  wis- 
dom that  I  have  more  than  any  living  to  the  intent 
that  the  interpretation  may  be  made  known  to  the 
King  and  that  thou  mightest  know  the  thoughts  of 
thy  heart."  What  humility  breathes  in  these 
words.  Daniel  puts  himself  away  completely  and 
magnifies   God.     True  spiritual  knowledge  and  sL 


26  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

deeper  insight  in  God's  ways  and  purposes  should 
always  be  accompanied  by  humility.  Think  of  the 
great  Apostle  Paul  to  whom  the  mystery  concern- 
ing the  church  was  made  known,  a  mystery  which 
was  hidden  in  former  ages.  In  the  chapter  in 
which  he  speaks  of  it  he  calls  himself  "  less  than 
the  least  of  all  the  Saints."  We  all  should  beware 
of  knowledge  which  puffeth  up,  which  makes  us 
think  more  highly  and  better  of  ourselves;  it  is  a 
dangerous  thing.  But  if  we  really  walk  and  live 
in  the  truth  we  shall  be  kept  from  this  great 
spiritual  danger.  Nothing  is  so  sweet  and  attrac- 
tive as  a  real  knowledge  of  the  truth  and  humility 
.with  it. 

The  Revelation  and  Interpretation  of  the  Dream. 
And  now  we  hear  Daniel  speak  to  the  King: 

Thou,  O  King,  sawest,  and  behold  a  great  image. 
This  great  image,  whose  brightness  was  excellent,  stood 
before  thee;  and  the  form  thereof  was  terrible.  This 
image's  head  was  of  fine  gold,  his  breast  and  his  arms 
of  silver,  his  belly  and  his  thighs  of  brass,  his  legs  of 
iron,  his  feet  part  of  iron  and  part  of  clay.  Thou  saw- 
est till  that  a  stone  was  cut  out  without  hands,  which 
smote  the  image  upon  his  feet  that  were  of  iron  and 
clay,  and  brake  them  to  pieces.  Then  was  the  iron, 
the  clay,  the  brass,  the  silver,  and  the  gold,  broken  to 
pieces  together,  and  became  like  the  chaff  of  the  sum- 
mer threshing-floors;  and  the  wind  carried  them  away, 
that  no  place  was  found  for  them :  and  the  stone  that 
smote  the  image  became  a  great  mountain,  and  filled 
the  whole  earth  (verses  31-35). 

What     astonishment     must     have     come     over 
Nebuchadnezzar  as  he  heard  his  dream  from  the 


THE    PROPHET    DANIEL  27 

lips  of  the  young  captive.     The  whole  dream  came  * 
back   to   his   memory.     But   greater   astonishment 
must  have  been  his  when  Daniel  interpreted  the 
dream. 

The  great  image,  the  form  of  a  man,  is  the 
prophetic  image  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles.  That 
an  image  of  a  man  was  chosen,  an  image  of  great 
dimensions,  is  significant:  In  the  New  Testament 
the  Apostle  Paul  speaks  of  "  Man's  Day ;  "  1  Cor. 
iv.  3,  see  margin.)  Man's  Day  describes  the  times 
of  the  Gentiles  and  it  is  still  Man's  Day  and  Man's 
Day  will  continue  till  the  Lord's  Day  begins. 

The  great  image  was  composed  of  four  different 
kinds  of  metal,  gold,  silver,  brass  and  iron  and  the 
two  feet  with  their  ten  toes  were  iron  and  clay. 
These  four  metallic  parts  of  the  great  man-image, 
according  to  divine  interpretation,  represent  four 
great  world  empires,  which  were  to  appear  on  earth 
successively. 

Here,  indeed,  we  have  history  written  in  advance, 
one  of  the  great  evidences  of  the  supernatural 
origin  of  the  Bible.  Four  great  kingdoms,  world 
powers,  should  appear,  beginning  with  Nebuchad- 
nezzar down  to  the  end  when  the  dominion  is  to  be 
taken  from  the  Gentiles  and  the  rule  of  the  Most 
High  to  be  established  on  the  earth.  These  four 
great  world  empires  have  appeared  in  exactly  the 
way  as  it  was  shown  to  Nebuchadnezzar  in  the 
dream  and  revealed  to  Daniel. 

The  youthful  prophet  pointed  to  Nebuchadnezzar 
and  said  "  Thou  art  this  head  of  gold."  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, the  great  head  of  the  Babylonian  world-em- 


28  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

pire,  is  represented  by  the  head  of  gold.  But  this 
does  not  mean  that  morally  the  king  was  like  fine 
gold.  Gold  is  the  type  of  Divinity.  Nebuchad- 
nezzar had  received  the  authority  and  the  dominion 
direct  from  the  God  of  heaven  and  this  is  why  gold, 
the  most  precious  metal,  is  mentioned  in  connection 
with  the  Babylonian  empire. 

The  Kingdom  which  followed  the  Babylonian 
and  which  is  represented  by  the  chest  and  the  arms 
of  the  image,  silver  being  its  metallic  value,  is  the 
Medo-Persian  world  monarchy.  We  do  not  trace 
this  historically.  There  is  no  need  for  it  for  every- 
body has  knowledge  of  it.  In  the  Fifth  Chapter 
the  overthrow  of  the  Babylonian  Empire  is  an- 
nounced. "  Peres,  thy  Kingdom  is  divided  and 
given  to  the  Medes  and  Persians."  Darius,  the 
Mede,  comes  then  upon  the  scene.  Its  great  king 
had  been  named  by  the  Prophet  Isaiah  over  100 
years  before  he  (Cyrus)  appeared.  Here  we  have 
another  fact  of  Prophecy.  This  is  the  reason 
why  the  critics  have  tried  to  discredit  Isaiah, 
for  they  cannot  believe  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
could  give  the  very  name  and  history  of  an  unborn 
being. 

The  third  great  Monarchy  which  supplanted  the 
preceding  one  is  the  Graeco-Macedonian.  In  the 
Seventh  Chapter  we  read  the  story  of  how  the  King 
of  Persia  was  broken  by  the  King  of  Greece.  It 
was  a  great  empire.  It  is  represented  by  the  thighs 
and  belly  of  brass.  Alexander  the  Great,  its 
founder,  wept  because  he  feared  there  might  be  no 
more  world  to  be  conquered.     His  great  ambition, 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  29 

like  that  of  Cyrus  and  Nebuchadnezzar,  was  world 
rule  and  dominion  over  all  nations  and  languages. 
The  fourth  Monarchy  during  the  times  of  the  Gen- 
tiles is  represented  by  iron ;  it  is  the  iron  Kingdom,  -♦ 
Rome.  This  Monarchy  is  described  in  one  point  of 
superiority;  it  is  to  be  strong.  For  as  iron 
breaketh  to  pieces  and  subdueth  all  things,  so  this 
kingdom  shall  break  in  pieces.  This  is  a  perfect 
description  of  that  strong  empire,  Rome,  and  we 
need  not  to  explain  this  further.  Equally  clear  is 
it  that  that  Kingdom  was  divided  into  two  parts, 
represented  in  the  legs  of  the  image.  It  was 
divided  into  the  East  Roman  and  West  Roman  Em- 
pire. The  legs  are  the  longest  parts  of  this  image 
and  by  it  the  fact  is  represented  that  this  Roman 
Empire  is  to  be  in  existence  longer  than  any  of  the 
previous  ones.  Iron  and  clay  are  to  be  the  material 
which  compose  the  feet.  We  behold  then  that  the 
last  form  of  Gentile  world  power  is  represented  by 
ten  toes,  ten  kingdoms  in  the  Roman  Empire  and 
they  are  of  iron  and  clay,  which  do  not  mix. 

Before  we  proceed  with  the  interpretation  of  the 
dream  let  us  notice  the  important  truth  brought  out 
in  the  composition  of  this  dream  image.  It  tells  of 
deterioration.  From  the  most  precious  metal  gold, 
it  goes  down  to  silver,  brass,  iron,  and  iron  and  clay. 
This  surely  does  not  tell  of  progress  and  improve- 
ment in  the  affairs  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles. 
The  second  is  inferior  to  the  first.  The  word 
"  inferior  "  means  earthly.  The  third  too  is  inferior 
to  the  second  and  the  fourth  is  superior  by  its 
brute  force  and  power  to  crush.    According  to  the 


30  THE.  PROPHET   DANIEL 

modern  day  conception  of  the  times  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, this  image  should  have  been  constructed  in 
this  wise:  First  a  head,  composed  of  the  meanest 
good  for  nothing  stuff,  earth  mixed  with  particles  of 
iron.  Gradually  the  clay  gives  way  and  becomes 
iron,  the  inferior  parts  are  expelled.  Then  the  re- 
fining process  continues  and  iron  is  changed  to  brass 
and  brass  to  silver,  then  coming  to  the  enlightened 
days  of  the  Nineteenth  Century  and  the  great 
Twentieth  Century  with  its  civilization,  we  reach 
the  fine  gold.  Well,  this  is  a  dream  too,  but  it  is  not 
a  dream  given  of  God,  but  the  dream  which  the 
Father  of  lies  has  inspired.  Nebuchadnezzar's 
dream  is  of  God  and  gives  the  process  of  deteriora- 
tion going  on  during  the  times  of  the  Gentiles. 

The  Final  Form  of  the  Times  of  the  Gentiles. 
The  ten  toes  of  iron  and  clay  represent  the  final 
form  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles.  They  are  typical 
of  ten  kings.  Thus  Daniel  interpreted  the  ten  toes 
for  he  said  "  In  the  days  of  these  kings  "  (Verse 
44).  In  Chapter  vii,  we  shall  find  an  additional 
vision  concerning  the  future  of  the  last  monarchy, 
the  Roman  Empire.  The  fourth  beast  has  ten 
horns  and  the  ten  horns  are  ten  kings.  Finally, 
if  we  turn  to  our  great  New  Testament  Book  of 
Prophecy,  the  Revelation,  we  find  the  ten  horns 
and  the  kings  they  represent  there.  "  And  the  ten 
horns  which  thou  sawest  are  ten  kings,  which  have 
received  no  kingdom  as  yet ;  but  receive  power  as 
kings  one  hour  with  the  beast"  (Rev.  xvii.  12). 
There  can  be  no  doubt  whatever  what  these  ten 
toes  represent.    But  has  this  division  of  the  Fourth 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  31 

Monarchy  been  reached?  Have  we  anything  in 
history  which  corresponds  to  the  ten  toes  in  the 
dream  image  and  the  catastrophe  which  is  connected 
with  it?  The  Roman  Empire  as  such  does  not  exist 
at  all.  Europe,  the  greater  part  of  which  with 
Egypt,  Asia  Minor,  Syria,  and  North  Africa  com- 
posed the  Roman  Empire,  is  in  a  divided  condition. 
The  iron  and  the  clay  are  there.  The  iron  repre- 
sents the  monarchical  form  of  government.  We 
have  "  the  great  powers,"  kings  and  emperors 
ruling  within  the  territory  of  the  Roman  world. 
But  what  does  the  clay  represent?  Clay  is  of  the 
earth.  It  stands  for  that  which  does  not  belong 
to  the  great  statue  at  all,  a  foreign  ingredient 
brought  in.  The  metals  represent  monarchies,  but  • 
the  clay  stands  for  democratic  rule,  the  rule  by 
the  people.  This  is  exactly  what  we  behold  in  our 
day.  There  is  a  strong  current  towards  democratic 
rule,  the  rule  by  the  people,  the  exaltation  of  the 
people.  Socialism  and  its  kin.  Anarchism,  are 
looming  up  on  all  sides.  What  then  will  come  yet 
upon  the  territory  of  the  Roman  Empire?  The 
empire  will  be  revived  and  established  once  more 
and  in  that  monarchy  will  be  ten  kingdoms  in  which 
the  clay  is  prominently  present.  We  see  indica- 
tions of  this  already,  for  the  people  are  more  or 
less  dictating  to  kings ;  the  kings  are  ruled  over  by 
the  popular  elements.  The  ten-toe  division  of  the  i' 
times  of  the  Gentiles  does  not  yet  exist.  First,  the 
Roman  empire  has  to  be  revived  and  then  the 
ten  kingdoms  come  into  existence.  How  this  is  to 
be  brought  about,  we  do  not  know;  but  we  see 


32  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

indications  on  all  sides  that  such  a  condition  may 
soon  be  reached. 

The  Stone  cut  out  of  the  Mountain.  We  follow 
the  interpretation  of  the  dream.  Next  comes  a 
great  catastrophe.  Nebuchadnezzar  beheld  a  stone 
falling  out  of  heaven  and  that  stone  struck  the  ten 
toes,  not  the  head,  but  the  ten  toes  of  iron  and 
clay.  Suddenly  the  whole  image  collapsed  and  all 
the  metals  represented  in  the  image  including  the 
clay  became  pulverized  like  the  chaff  on  the  sum- 
mer threshing  floor.  Then  came  the  wind  and 
carried  it  away.  Nothing  whatever  was  left  of  the 
great  colossus.  It  must  have  been  this  part  of  the 
dream  which  inspired  Nebuchadnezzar  with  great 
terror.  And  what  became  of  the  smiting  stone? 
It  became  a  great  mountain  and  filled  the  whole 
earth.  Instead  of  an  image  filling  the  earth,  it  was 
a  mountain.    And  Daniel  said  to  the  King, 

In  the  days  of  these  kings  (the  ten  toes),  shall  the 
God  of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom  .which  shall  never  be 
destroyed  and  the  kingdom  shall  not  be  left  to  other 
people  (it  shall  not  be  followed  by  other  kingdoms), 
but  it  shall  break  in  pieces  and  consume  all  these  king- 
doms, and  it  shall  stand  forever.  Forasmuch  as  thou 
sawest  that  the  stone  was  cut  out  of  the  mountain  with- 
out hands,  and  that  it  brake  in  pieces  the  iron,  the 
brass,  the  clay,  the  silver  and  the  gold;  the  great  God 
has  made  known  to  the  king  what  shall  come  to  pass 
hereafter,  and  the  dream  is  certain  and  the  interpreta- 
tion thereof  is  sure  (verses  44,  45)' 

Thus  the  King  had  his  desire  answered  to  know 
what  shall  be  hereafter  and  we  likewise  have  an 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  33 

answer  here  to  the  question,  what  is  going  to  be 
the  end  of  all  what  we  behold  now  in  this  present 
Gentile  age. 

The  Stone  is  Christ.  That  the  stone  represents 
Christ  is  seen  from  the  Scriptures.  "  Behold,  I  lay 
in  Zion  for  a  foundation  a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a 
precious  corner  stone,  a  sure  foundation  "  (Isaiah 
xxviii,  16).  Zechariah  speaks  of  this  stone  with 
seven  eyes  upon  it  and  engraven.  We  read  of  Him 
in  the  New  Testament  as  the  foundation  stone  of 
the  church,  the  cornerstone,  the  stone  rejected  by 
the  builders.  Most  interesting  is  His  own  word 
in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew.  **  And  whosoever  shall 
fall  on  this  stone  shall  be  broken ;  but  on  whomso- 
ever it  shall  fall,  it  will  grind  him  to  powder" 
(Matthew  xxi,  44).  Here  we  have  Israel's  sin  and 
judgment  and  the  fate  of  the  Gentiles.  Israel 
stumbled  against  this  stone;  for  them  He  was  a 
stumbling  stone  and  rock  of  offence.  In  conse- 
quence they  were  broken  as  a  nation.  But  the 
Gentile  world,  rejecting  Him,  will  be  broken  when 
the  stone  falls.  They  will  be  ground  to  powder  by 
the  falling  stone.  Our  Lord  must  have  had  the 
dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar  in  mind  when  he  spake 
these  words.  The  falling  stone  of  which  He  speaks 
and  the  striking  stone  in  the  dream  mean  the  same 
Person ;  Himself. 

When  does  the  Stone  Strike?  It  is  strange  that 
so  simple  a  prophecy  should  be  misinterpreted. 
But  such  is  the  case.  Post-millennialists  have 
labored  to  interpret  all  this  as  meaning  the  first 
Coming  of  Christ.    In  doing  so  they  have  not  only 


34  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

miserably  failed,  but  have  taken  great  liberties  with 
the  Word  of  God  and  read  into  it,  what  is  not  here 
at  all.  Some  say  that  the  birth  of  Christ  was  the 
beginning  of  the  striking  of  the  heathen  world. 
Others  think  of  the  day  of  Pentecost,  of  the  des- 
truction of  Jerusalem  and  other  historical  events, 
like  the  edict  of  Constantine  the  Great.  They  speak 
of  a  spiritual  kingdom,  which  began  with  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  and  they  actually  talk  of  this  stone 
here,  which  comes  down  with  a  crash,  as  a  rolling 
stone,  which  began  with  Christ  and  ever  since  is 
rolling  along  throughout  the  centuries,  and  as  it 
keeps  rolling  becomes  bigger  and  bigger  and  bye 
and  bye  the  rolling  stone  has  rolled  itself  into  a 
great  mountain,  filling  the  whole  earth.  Gradually, 
post-millennialism  teaches,  the  kingdom  spreads 
over  the  whole  world  through  the  agency  of  the 
church  and  gradually  heathendom  gives  way.  At 
present  we  hear  much  of  that  kingdom  to  be  ex- 
tended by  the  Laymen's  missionary  movement,  the 
rolling  stone  is  helped  along  by  immense  sums  of 
money,  to  bring  in  the  kingdom. 

But  all  this  is  wrong.  It  makes  havoc  with  the 
entire  Word  of  God;  it  leads  to  confusion  worse 
confounded.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  His  first 
coming  did  not  give  the  command  that  Gentile  do- 
minion should  be  broken  through  the  Gospel,  nor  did 
He  attack  the  Roman  Empire,  which  was  then  in 
full  control.  Indeed  the  Roman  Empire  was  of- 
ficially the  means  of  His  blessed  death  on  the  cross. 
He  did  not  smite  the  image;  the  image,  so  to  speak, 
smote  Him. 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  35 

Now  the  stone  strikes  the  feet  and  on  the  feet 
the  ten  toes.  Hence,  before  the  stone  can  smite 
there  must  be  ten  toes  to  smite.  But  when  our 
Lord  came  the  first  time  the  Roman  Empire  was 
a  unit.  The  division  into  the  East  and  West 
Roman  Empire,  seen  in  the  two  legs  of  the  image, 
had  not  yet  taken  place.  If  no  legs  were  then  in 
existence  and  no  feet  and  nothing  seen  of  the  ten 
toes,  how  then  could  the  first  coming  of  Christ  be 
the  fulfillment  of  this  dream?  All  this  is  very 
simple.  The  stone  strikes  the  image,  when  the  ten 
toes,  the  final  ten  kingdom  division  of  the  Roman 
Empire,  are  in  existence. 

A  Great  Catastrophe.  And  anyone  can  see  that 
the  striking  stone  cannot  mean  the  peaceful  exten- 
sion of  a  spiritual  kingdom,  or  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel,  but  that  it  is  a  great  catastrophe.  It  is  a 
crushing,  destructive  blow  which  this  stone  de- 
livers. And  notice  it  is  AFTER  the  stone  has  done 
its  smiting  work,  after  the  great  image  has  been 
pulverized,  that  the  stone  becomes  a  great  moun- 
tain filling  the  whole  earth.  The  stone  which  falls 
from  above  is  the  Second  Coming  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  His  Coming  in  great  power  and  Glory. 
When  the  ten  kingdoms  are  in  existence,  iron  and 
clay,  a  tremendous  and  awful  apostasy  from  God 
will  be  in  the  earth.  The  great  Gentile  civilization, 
though  it  calls  itself  "  Christian,"  as  do  the  nations 
which  compose  it,  will  have  become  thoroughly 
anti-christian.  The  opening  part  of  the  Second 
Psalm  will  then  be  fulfilled.  Rebellion  against  God 
and  against  His  anointed  will  be  in  order.    Then 


36  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

the  destructive  blow  will  come.  That  which  is 
looked  for  the  least,  interference  from  above,  will 
take  place.  The  God  of  Heaven  will  establish  the 
Kingdom  of  Christ  and  set  His  King  upon  the  holy- 
hill  of  Zion.  But  the  first  act  of  God  will  be  the 
complete  overthrow  and  judgment  of  the  last  and 
final  form  of  Gentile  world  dominion.  What  an 
awful  act  of  judgment  it  will  be!  Then  military 
Christendom  will  find  its  end  and  man's  day  with 
its  boasted  progress  and  civilization  and  its  deifica- 
tion of  man  will  close.  Its  sun  will  set  in  the  dark 
clouds  of  judgment.  The  hurricanes  of  divine  dis- 
pleasure and  wrath  will  sweep  away  that  which 
defied  God  and  rejected  His  greatest  gift. 

To  the  natural  man  and  the  religious  man  too  all 
this  sounds  very  pessimistic.  They  often  ask,  but 
is  it  possible  that  all  this  should  come  true?  No 
matter  what  man  thinks,  it  is  written  in  the  Scrip- 
ture of  Truth,  the  infallible  Word  of  God.  Every 
other  part  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  found  its 
literal  fulfillment.  The  crushing  stone  cut  out  of 
the  mountain  without  hands,  smiting  the  ten  toes 
and  pulverizing  the  entire  image,  the  complete 
passing  away  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  and  their 
dominion,  will  likewise  be  literally  fulfilled.  God 
grant  that  the  modern  day  progress,  a  progress 
without  God  and  Christ,  may  not  obscure  the  fact 
of  the  true  end  of  this  age  and  its  seeming  glory. 

But  there  is  a  bright  side  to  this  dark  picture. 
The  stone  which  executes  judgment  becomes  also 
a  great  mountain  filling  the  whole  earth.  It  is  the 
picture  of  the  introduction  of  the  Kingdom  of  our 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  37 

Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Then  the  true  Kingdom  of 
Christ,  a  Hteral  Kingdom,  will  be  set  up  and  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth  will  be  brought  under  the 
glorious  and  peaceful  rule  of  the  Son  of  Man.  Then 
He  will  come  to  His  own  and  rule  over  all  nations 
and  languages.  Then,  and  not  before,  the  glorious 
visions  of  God's  Holy  Prophets  concerning  the 
Kingdom  will  be  gloriously  fulfilled. 

The  Effect  of  the  Interpretation  upon  Nebuchad- 
nezzar. Not  a  word  had  come  from  the  lips  of  the 
astonished  King.  But  now  we  see  him  falling  on 
his  face  and  worshipping  Daniel,  the  divine  instru- 
ment in  making  the  dream  and  its  meaning  known 
to  him.  The  King  acknowledged  Daniel's  God  as 
the  God  of  gods,  the  Lord  of  kings  and  a  Revealer 
of  secrets.  God  is  owned  by  him  in  a  three-fold 
way.  The  God  of  gods,  as  God  the  Father  and  the 
Lord  of  kings,  such  is  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and 
the  Revealer  of  secrets,  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Daniel  receives  an  exalted  position  and  by  re- 
quest his  three  friends  share  his  promotion.  This 
is  typical  of  the  blessing  which  the  faithful  Jewish 
remnant  will  receive  some  day.  We  must  also 
think  of  Him,  who  prayed  "  The  Glory  which  Thou 
hast  given  Me  I  have  given  them."  When  the  day 
of  His  exaltation  comes,  when  He  is  manifested, 
we  shall  be  manifested  with  Him  in  Glory.  As 
Daniel  did  not  leave  His  friends  behind  so  our  ever 
blessed  Lord  will  remember  us  and  give  us  a  place 
with  Him  on  His  throne. 

And  how  long  before  this  final  stage  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's dream  is  to  be  fulfilled?     Let  the  present 


38  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

day  conditions  among  the  nations  give  the  answer. 
Surely  it  cannot  be  much  longer.  Everything  seems 
to  hasten  on  towards  the  close.  The  end  of  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles  cannot  be  far  off.  Before  that 
end  comes  the  shout  of  our  Lord  will  call  all  His 
Saints  into  His  own  presence.  For  this  let  us  w^ait 
and  pray. 


CHAPTERS   III-VI 

The  Moral  and  Religious  Conditions  of  the  Times 
of  the  Gentiles 

The  four  chapters  which  follow  the  great  dream 
of    Nebuchadnezzar    are    of    a    historical    charac- 
ter.   They  do  not  contain  direct  prophecies,  but  re- 
cord  certain   events   which  transpired   during  the 
reign  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  his  successor  and  grand- 
son  Belshazzar   and   Darius,   the   Mede.     On   the 
personal  history  of  these  three  persons  and  where 
they  are  found  in  profane  history  we  have  little 
to    say,    as    a    deeper    examination    of    this    sub- 
ject   would     lead    us     too     far     and    would    be 
tedious.     But     this     much     must    be     said     that 
the    criticism    which    charged    Daniel    with    being 
incorrect    has    been    completely    silenced    by    the 
Babylonian    cylinders    of    Cyrus    and    Nabonnaid 
and    the    so-called    annalistic    tablets,     the    very 
records  of  those  days.    It  is  true  the  personality  of 
Darius  the  Mede  has  not  yet  been  definitely  located 
historically.    However,  we  do  not  believe  the  Bible 
because   its   historical    statements   can  be   verified 
from  profane  history.     We  believe  the  Bible  be- 
cause its  records  are  divinely  inspired  and  there- 
fore correct.    What  would  we  know  of  the  genuine- 

39 


40  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

ness  of  these  ancient  tablets  and  cylinders  covered 
with  cuneiform  inscriptions  if  it  were  not  for  the 
Bible?  These  witnesses  from  the  stones,  which  in- 
deed cry  out,  do  not  verify  the  Bible,  they  are  rather 
declared  genuine  and  correct  by  the  Word  of  God. 

These  four  chapters  then  give  us  historical  events. 
Each  has  a  prophetic  meaning,  though  direct 
prophecy  is  not  found  in  them. 

Analysis  of  the  Four  Chapters.  We  give  first 
of  all  an  analysis  of  these  four  chapters  before  we 
comment  on  them  briefly. 

Chapter  HI.  The  golden  image  Nebuchadnezzar 
erected.  The  fiery  furnace  and  the  miraculous  de- 
liverance of  the  faithful  captives. 

Chapter  IV.  Nebuchadnezzar's  proclamation. 
His  dream  vision.  Daniel's  interpretation.  The 
Mania  of  the  King  and  his  restoration. 

Chapter  V.  Belshazzar's  feast.  The  handwrit- 
ing on  the  wall.  Daniel  interprets.  The  fall  of 
Babylon.  This  happened  in  538  B.  C.  or  68  years 
after  Daniel  had  been  brought  to  Babylon. 

Chapter  VI.  The  decree  of  Darius  the  Medc. 
Daniel's  faithfulness;  how  God  delivered  him  out 
of  the  lion's  den.  The  proclamation  of  Darius. 
This  must  have  happened  in  the  same  year  when 
Babylon  fell.  The  pictures  one  sees  sometimes 
showing  Daniel  as  a  young  man  standing  amid 
lions  are  not  correct.  If  Daniel  was  14  years  old 
when  he  was  brought  to  Babylon  he  was  over  80 
years  of  age  when  they  cast  him  into  the  lion's  den. 

The  purpose  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  guiding  the 
pen  of  Daniel  in  this  manner,  reporting  first  these 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  41 

historical  happenings,  is  not  difficult  to  discover. 
These  chapters  describe  the  moral  conditions  pre- 
vailing during  two  of  the  great  world  empires.  But 
they  also  indicate  the  moral  conditions  which  will 
continue  to  the  very  end  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles. 
We  may  trace  in  them  the  following  five  things 
which  are  prophetically  foreshadowed: 

1.  The  moral  characteristics  of  the  Times  of  the 
Gentiles. 

2.  What  shall  happen  at  the  close  of  the  Gentile 
age. 

3.  The  faithful  remnant  of  His  people  in  suffer- 
ing. 

4.  Their  deliverance. 

5.  The  Gentiles  acknowledge  God  as  the  King 
and  God  of  Heaven. 


CHAPTER  III 

The  Image  of  Gold 

Nebuchadnezzar  had  heard  from  Daniel's  lips, 
"Thou  art  this  head  of  gold."  The  poor  king  be- 
came puffed  up  and  in  the  pride  of  his  heart  at- 
tempted to  unify  the  religious  worship  of  his  vast 
empire.  He  had  an  immense  statue  of  gold  made, 
the  image  of  a  man,  no  doubt,  and  he  set  it  up  in 
the  plain  of  Dura  in  the  province  of  Babylon.  It 
was  idolatry  and  the  deification  of  man.  Idolatry 
and  the  deification  of  man  are  then  the  first  moral 
characteristics  mentioned  which  are  to  prevail  dur- 
ing the  times  of  the  Gentiles.  The  times  of  the 
Gentiles  produce  a  religion,  which  is  opposed  to 
the  God  of  heaven.  The  image  was  sixty  cubits 
high  and  six  broad.  Seven  is  the  divine  number 
and  "  six  "  is  the  number  of  man.  Sixty  cubits  and 
six  reminds  us  of  that  familiar  passage  in  the  Book 
of  Revelation,  where  we  have  the  number  of  a  man 
given,  that  mysterious  number  "  Six  hundred 
three  score  and  six,"  that  is  (^.  The  image  then 
represents  man,  but  the  climax  of  man  was 
not  yet  reached.  However,  the  beginning  fore- 
shadows the  end  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles.  That 
end  is  described  in  the  xiii  chapter  of  Revelation. 
This  chapter  leads  us  upon  the  ground  of  the  re- 
stored Roman  Empire,  when  the  ten  kingdoms  are 
established.     Then   a   great   Roman   emperor,   of 

+2 


JHE   PROPHET  DANIEL  43 

whom  we  hear  later  as  the  little  horn  in  Daniel's 
vision,  will  appear  and  will  make  a  covenant  with 
the  Jews,  which  permits  them  to  resume  their  wor- 
ship. He  will  break  that  covenant.  Another  beast, 
the  second  beast  in  Revel,  xiii,  the  personal  Anti- 
christ, equally  energized  by  Satan  like  the  head  of 
the  restored  Roman  Empire,  will  put  up  an  image, 
the  image  of  the  beast  and  demand  its  worship. 
Then  the  idolatry  and  deification  of  man  has 
reached  its  full  height.  The  Antichrist  and  the 
image  will  be  worshipped ;  he  will  sit  in  the  temple 
of  God  and  show  that  he  is  god.  We  see  from  this 
brief  review  how  the  act  of  Nebuchadnezzar  clearly 
points  to  the  time  of  the  end. 

The  civil  power  tried  to  force  this  universal 
religion  upon  the  people.  The  great  governors, 
judges,  captains,  and  rulers  had  to  appear  for  the 
dedication  of  the  image.  But  then  the  whole  thing 
had  a  religious  aspect.  Listen,  after  looking  at 
this  great  awe-inspiring  image  of  gold— to  the 
sweetest  music.  The  cornet,  the  flute,  the  harp, 
the  sackbut,  psaltery,  dulcimer  and  all  kinds  of 
music  sounds  forth.  No  doubt  the  Chaldean  priests 
approached  chanting  some  sweet  Babylonian  song. 
Why  all  this?  To  stir  up  the  religious  emotions 
and  aid  in  this  way  the  worship  of  an  idol.  It  is 
intensely  interesting  that  the  ancient  Babylonian 
worship,  with  its  ceremonials  and  chanting  is  re- 
produced in  Rome,  which  is  called  in  Revelation, 
Babylon.* 

♦The  Book  by  Mr.  Hislop  "The  Two  Babylons,"  gives 
reliable  and  important  information  on  this  fact. 


44  JHE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

And  do  we  not  find  here  lessons  likewise  for  our 
day?  We  hear  from  many  sides  the  cries  for  a 
new  religion,  for  a  universal  religion.  It  will  surely 
come;  yea,  it  is  almost  upon  us.  The  age  will  not 
run  out  irreligiously.  The  false  worship,  the  Cain- 
cult  is  all  about  us.  It  is  the  bloodless  religion,  the 
religion  which  exalts  man.  And  there  you  may 
even  now  go  and  hear  the  sweetest  music,  the 
finest  operatic  airs  from  well  trained  singers,  often 
taken  from  the  playhouses  of  the  world.  And  the 
magnificent  ceremonies  and  rituals — all  great  helps 
to  worship — yes,  but  what  kind  of  worship?  A 
sensuous,  soulical  worship,  but  not  the  worship  in 
Spirit  and  in  truth.  The  true  worship  in  the  Spirit 
does  not  need  the  sweet  music  of  the  world. 

The  Faithful  Three.  The  proclamation  had  been 
made  and  when  the  sweet  music  was  heard  all 
nations  and  languages  fell  down  and  worshipped. 
And  whosoever  did  not  follow  the  King's  demand 
was  to  be  cast  into  a  fiery  furnace.  Then  came 
the  Chaldeans  and  accused  the  three  friends  of 
Daniel,  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego. 

Then  Nebuchadnezzar  in  his  rage  and  fury  com- 
manded to  bring  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego. 
Then  they  brought  these  men  before  the  King.  Ne- 
buchadnezzar spake  and  said  unto  them.  Is  it  true  O 
Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego  do  not  ye  serve  my 
gods  nor  worship  the  golden  image  which  I  have  set 
up?  Now  if  ye  be  ready  that  at  what  time  ye  hear  the 
sound  of  the  cornet,  flute,  harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  and 
dulcimer,  and  all  kinds  of  music,  ye  fall  down  and 
worship  the  image  which  I  have  made;  well:  but  if  ye 
worship  not,  ye  shall  be  cast  the  same  hour  into  the 


JHE  PROPHET  DANIEL  45 

midst  of  a  burning  fiery  furnace;  and  who  is  that 
God  that  shall  deliver  you  out  of  my  hands?  Shadrach, 
Meshach,  and  Abed-nego,  answered  and  said  to  the 
King,  O,  Nebuchadnezzar,  we  are  not  careful  to  an- 
swer thee  in  this  matter.  If  it  be  so,  our  God  whom 
we  serve  is  able  to  deliver  us  from  the  burning  fiery 
furnace  and  He  will  deliver  us  out  of  thine  hand,  O 
King.  But  if  not,  be  it  known  unto  thee,  O  King, 
that  we  will  not  serve  thy  gods,  nor  worship  the  golden 
image  which  thou  hast  set  up  (verses  13-18). 

Nebuchadnezzar  finds  out  that  the  accusation  is 
true.  Here  are  three  men  who  refuse  to  worship 
the  image  of  gold.  And  Nebuchadnezzar,  whom 
we  saw  bowing  before  Daniel  and  acknowledging 
God,  the  Lord  of  Kings  and  the  Revealer  of  secrets, 
can  say  now  in  an  arrogant  way  "  Who  is  that  God 
that  shall  deliver  you  out  of  my  hands?"  But  in 
that  dark  hour  the  Grace  and  Strength  of  God 
covered  the  three  friends  of  Daniel.  What  gracious 
words  they  were  permitted  to  speak!  No  exciting 
note  nor  any  fear  whatever  can  be  discovered  in 
their  answer  to  the  King.  They  breathe  calmness 
and  determination.  They  were  men  of  faith,  and 
faith  is  seen  here  in  its  perfection.  They  know 
that  the  God  whom  they  serve  is  an  omnipotent 
God;  He  is  able  to  deliver  them.  And  then  they 
add  "  and  He  WILL  deliver  us  out  of  thy  hand,  O 
King.  But  if  not,  be  it  known  unto  thee  that  we 
will  not  serve  thy  gods."  What  victorious  language 
this  was!  The  raging  King  stood  helpless  in  the 
presence  of  these  men,  with  their  holy  separation 
and  determination,  born  of  faith. 

The  furnace  is  heated   seven   times  more,   the 


46  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

most  mighty  men  are  commissioned  to  cast  the 
three  into  the  furnace  heat.  The  very  men  who 
cast  them  down  were  consumed  by  the  flames.  But 
when  the  King  looked  towards  the  furnace  he  be- 
held to  his  great  astonishment  not  three  men  bound 
and  burning  up,  but  four  men  loose  and  actually 
walking  in  the  fire.  "  They  have  no  hurt  and  the 
form  of  the  fourth  is  like  the  Son  of  God."  And 
when  they  were  brought  up  from  the  fiery  furnace, 
no  smell  of  fire  was  about  them,  not  even  a  hair  was 
singed,  only  the  bands  which  had  bound  them  were 
burned  off.  The  fire  had  set  them  free  but  it  could 
not  touch  them.  But  did  the  King  speak  true  when 
he  beheld  the  fourth  like  the  Son  of  God?  Little 
did  he  know  what  he  said  or  what  it  meant,  but 
assuredly  he  saw  in  that  fire  the  Son  of  God,  Je- 
hovah, for  He  had  promised  His  people,  "  When 
thou  walkest  through  the  fire  thou  shalt  not  be 
burned;  neither  shall  the  flame  kindle  on  thee." 
The  faithful  Lord  kept  His  promise  to  His  trusting 
servants. 

And  has  not  all  this  been  repeated  throughout 
the  times  of  the  Gentiles  especially  during  the 
Roman  Empire?  Pagan  Rome  persecuted  the  true 
worshippers  of  God  and  in  great  persecutions,  mul- 
titudes suffered  martyrdom.  But  think  of  what  is 
worse,  papal  Rome,  that  Babylon  the  Great,  the 
mother  of  harlots.  There  we  find  the  images  and 
the  sweet  music,  the  prostrations  and  political 
power  enforcing  unity  of  worship.  The  fiery  fur- 
naces are  there,  the  stake,  the  most  awful  tortures 
for  those  who  were  faithful  to  God  and  to  their 
Lord.    Think  of  the  story  of  the  Waldensians  and 


JHE   PROPHET   DANIEL  47 

Huguenots.  And  while  for  these  noble  martyrs,  for 
whom  there  is  a  martyr's  crown  in  the  coming  day 
of  Christ,  there  came  no  deliverance  and  their 
bodies  were  consumed  by  the  fire,  yet  the  Son  of 
God  was  with  them  and  with  praising  hearts  and  a 
song  upon  their  dying  lips,  He  carried  them  through 
the  fire.  It  is  interesting  to  read  in  expositions  of 
Daniel  and  the  Book  of  Revelation,  written  in  the 
16th  and  17th  centuries,  how  the  expositors  saw  in 
papal  Rome  the  Antichrist.  But  a  great  fulfillment 
of  all  this  is  yet  to  come  under  the  domineering 
little  horn,  the  beast  out  of  the  sea. 

The  Remnant  of  the  Time  of  the  End.  When 
Antichrist  terrorizes  Jerusalem  and  the  image  is 
set  up  we  read  that  all  who  do  not  worship  the 
image  of  the  beast  shall  be  killed.  And  in  that  time 
of  fiery  trial,  the  great  tribulation,  there  will  be  sL 
faithful  Jewish  remnant.  They  will  refuse  to  wor- 
ship the  image  and  many  of  them  will  suffer  martyr- 
dom while  others  will  be  miraculously  kept  by  the 
Lord's  mighty  power  and  pass  through  the  greai 
tribulation  without  being  harmed  by  it. 

The  blessed  application  in  connection  with  olllf 
trials,  the  furnace  experiences  of  God's  people,  we 
cannot  enter  into  now.  But  blessed  be  God,  what- 
ever the  trial  may  be,  whatever  the  fiery  heat,  One 
is  always  there  with  His  believing  trusting  children, 
our  blessed  Lord,  the  Son  of  God.  In  all  our  trials 
and  sorrows  the  Son  of  God  is  with  us.  And  the 
fire  but  burns  off  our  bands  and  sets  us  free.  Once 
more  the  king,  acknowledged  the  God  of  Shadrach, 
Meshach  and  Abed-nego. 


CHAPTER  IV 

Nebuchadnezzar's    Dream    Vision.    His    Insanity 
and  Restoration 

The  fourth  chapter  is  in  the  form  of  a  procla- 
mation from  the  King.  He  relates  his  experience. 
A  time  of  peace  had  been  reached  by  him  and  he 
yvas  flourishing  in  his  palace,  when  once  more  he 
was  disturbed  by  a  dream.  He  saw  in  his  dream 
a  high  tree  in  the  earth.  The  tree  grew  and  reached 
unto  heaven.  It  was  a  fair  tree  giving  fruit  and 
shelter.  The  beasts  of  the  field  had  shadow  under 
it,  and  the  fowls  of  the  heavens  dwelt  there.  But 
all  at  once  a  watcher  and  an  holy  One,  an  angel, 
for  the  angels  are  the  holy  watchers,  came  down 
from  heaven  with  a  message.  "  He  cried  aloud,  and 
said  thus,  Hew  down  the  tree,  and  cut  off  his 
branches,  shake  off  his  leaves,  and  scatter  his  fruit : 
let  the  beasts  get  away  from  under  it,  and  the  fowls 
from  his  branches :  nevertheless  leave  the  stump  of 
his  roots  in  the  earth,  even  with  a  band  of  iron  and 
brass,  in  the  tender  grass  of  the  field;  and  let  it  be 
wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven,  and  let  his  portion  be 
with  the  beasts  in  the  grass  of  the  earth:  let  his 
heart  be  changed  from  man's,  and  let  a  beast's 

48 


THE   PROPHET  DANIEL  49 

heart  be  given  unto  him ;  and  let  seven  times  pass 
over  him." 

Once  more  Daniel  interprets  through  the  wisdom 
of  God  and  once  again  he  points  to  the  King.  "  It 
is  thou  O  King,  that  art  grown  and  become  strong." 
He  then  announced  to  him  his  coming  fate. 

They  shall  drive  thee  from  men,  and  thy  dwell- 
ing shall  be  with  the  beasts  of  the  field,  and  they  shall 
make  thee  to  eat  grass  as  oxen,  and  they  shall  wet  thee 
with  the  dew  of  heaven,  and  seven  times  shall  pass  over 
thee,  till  thou  know  that  the  Most  High  ruleth  in  the 
kingdom  of  men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsoever  he  will. 
And  whereas  they  commanded  to  leave  the  stump  of 
the  tree ;  thy  kingdom  shall  be  sure  imto  thee,  after  that 
thou  shalt  have  known  that  the  heavens  do  rule. 
Wherefore,  O  King,  let  my  counsel  be  acceptable  unto 
thee,  and  break  off  thy  sins  by  righteousness,  and  thine 
iniquities  by  showing  mercy  to  the  poor;  if  it  may  be  a 
lengthening  of  thy  tranquillity.  All  this  came  upon  the 
King  Nebuchadnezzar  (verses  22-28). 

Twelve  months  later  he  walked  in  the  palace  of 
the  kingdom  of  Babylon.  Then  with  a  haughty 
mien  he  utters  the  fatal  words :  "  Is  not  this  great 
Babylon,  that  I  have  built  for  the  house  of  the 
kingdom  by  the  might  of  my  power  and  for  the 
honor  of  my  majesty."  Notice  the  personal  pro- 
noun. But  while  he  yet  uttered  these  words  a 
heavenly  voice  was  heard  which  announced  that 
the  kingdom  is  departed  from  him.  What  Daniel 
had  said  in  his  interpretation  is  repeated  from 
heaven.  The  same  hour  was  the  thing  fulfilled 
upon  Nebuchadnezzar  and  he  was  driven  from  men 
and  did  cat  grass  as  the  oxen,  and  his  body  was  wet 


so  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

with  the  dew  of  heaven,  till  his  hairs  were  grown 
like  eagles'  feathers,  and  his  nails  like  birds'  claws. 
And  after  the  seven  times  had  passed  over  him  his 
understanding  returned  unto  him  and  he  blessed 
the  Most  High.  The  last  verse  of  this  chapter 
sums  up  the  whole  experience  of  the  King,  "  Now 
I,  Nebuchadnezzar,  praise  and  extol  and  honor  the 
King  of  heaven,  all  whose  works  arc  truth,  and  his 
ways  judgment,  and  those  that  walk  in  pride,  He 
is  able  to  abase." 

The  meaning  of  this  is  not  difficult  to  find.  A 
great  tree  in  Scripture  is  the  symbol  of  man  with 
great  power  and  influence  on  earth.  The  Prophet 
Ezekiel,  for  instance,  had  a  vision  concerning  the 
Assyrian  and  he  beheld  him  as  a  cedar  of  Lebanon 
with  fair  branches  and  of  high  stature  (Ezek.  xxxi, 
3).  Israel  is  spoken  of  as  a  vine  brought  out  of 
Egypt  and  God  expected  fruit  from  it,  but  when 
it  failed  and  brought  forth  the  sour  grapes  (Isaiah 
v),  then  the  Gentiles  began  to  flourish  and  became 
the  big  tree  with  its  branches  spreading  everywhere. 
And  we  find  the  tree  in  the  New  Testament.  In 
the  third  parable  in  Matthew  xiii,  our  Lord  speaks 
of  the  mustard  tree  with  its  roots  in  the  field,  the 
world,  and  its  branches  extending  far  and  wide 
[while  the  birds  find  shelter  there.  This  tree  tells 
us  of  the  development  of  Christendom  as  a  vast 
earthly  institution  with  power  and  influence.  But 
connected  with  this  growth  and  influence  in  the 
earth  of  Gentile  dominion  is  self-exaltation  and 
pride.  This  was  the  great  sin  of  Nebuchadnezzar. 
He  spoke  of  the  Great  Babylon  which  I  have  built, 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  51 

my  power  and  my  majesty.  This  pride  and  self- 
exaltation  is  the  work  of  Satan  as  pride  is  the  crime 
of  the  Devil  and  it  must  result  in  Divine  judgment. 
So  an  holy  watcher  announced  that  judgment  and 
we  see  the  proud  king  a  beast,  no  longer  looking 
up,  but  down  and  living  like  a  beast,  wandering 
about  as  a  beast  till  seven  times  had  passed  over 
him,  then  he  acknowledged  the  Most  High  and  is 
restored.  The  last  we  hear  of  Nebuchadnezzar  is 
this  pleasant  record  of  his  restoration,  praising 
God. 

And  so  judgment  will  come  upon  this  proud  and 
self-exalting  age  of  the  Gentiles,  both  political  and 
religious.  That  great  big  tree  will  some  day  be 
hewn  down  and  destroyed,  though  the  root  will  be 
left.  We  must  also  remember  the  parable  of  the 
good  and  the  wild  olive  tree  in  Romans  xi.  The 
good  Olive  tree  is  Israel ;  branches  were  broken  off 
on  account  of  unbelief.  The  wild  Olive  tree  are 
the  Gentiles.  They  are  grafted  upon  the  good 
Olive  tree.  But  God  warns  against  self-exaltation. 
He  threatens  judgment  if  the  grafted  in  branches 
are  high-minded.  He  tells  these  high-minded 
branches  that  He  will  cut  them  out  of  the  good 
Olive  tree.  This  is  spoken  not  concerning  the 
church,  but  Gentile  Christendom  is  in  view,  the 
great  big  mustard  tree.  To-day  we  behold  a  boast- 
ing and  high-minded  Christendom.  The  crime  of 
the  devil  has  never  before  been  so  apparent  as  now. 
Judgment  will  come,  when  the  tree  will  be  de- 
stroyed. Oh  how  we  should  beware  in  these  evil 
days  of  pride  and  self-exaltation.     With  this  the 


52  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

child  of  God  steps  upon  the  territory  of  the  enemy. 
May  we  not  seek  great  things  and  be  in  that  which 
feeds  our  proud  hearts,  but  lowly  at  his  feet,  be 
clothed  with  humility. 

And  Nebuchadnezzar's  great  humiliation  in  be- 
coming a  beast  for  seven  times  (seven  years),* 
points  us  to  the  end  of  this  Gentile  age  once  more. 
Apostasy  from  God  will  be  the  great  characteristic 
of  that  end.  There  will  be  no  more  looking  up  to 
God,  but  the  attitude  of  the  beast  will  be  the  atti- 
tude of  the  nations.  We  see  much  of  this  already. 
They  mind  earthly  things  and  become  the  "  earth- 
dwellers  "  so  frequently  mentioned  in  the  Book  of 
Revelation.  Madness  and  bestiality  will  seize  upon 
the  Gentiles,  after  the  One  who  hinders,  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  removed.  Then  proud  and  apostate 
Christendom  will  believe  the  lie  and  follow  the  beast 
with  its  lying  wonders.  This  will  last  seven  times, 
that  is,  seven  years. 

The  stump  of  the  great  tree  which  remains  in  the 
field  suggests  the  fact  that  the  judgments  which 
fall  upon  the  nations  in  the  time  of  the  end  will 
not  completely  destroy  all  nations.  Many  of  them 
will  be  swept  away.  For  those  who  wilfully  re- 
jected the  Gospel  and  turned  away  from  the  truth, 
there  is  no  hope.  But  there  are  others  which  will 
be  left  and  when  these  judgments  are  in  the  earth, 
the  nations  learn  righteousness. 

The  millennium  is  also  seen  in  this  chapter  in 

♦The  attempt  to  ascertain  from  this  "seven  times"  the 
length  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  as  some  do  lacks  the  sup- 
port of  Scripture.    The  seven  times  mean  seven  years. 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  53 

the  restoration  of  Nebuchadnezzar  and  in  the  Praise 
He  gives  to  the  Most  High.  In  the  previous  chapter 
the  three  friends  of  Daniel  speak  of  "  Our  God," 
but  in  this  chapter  we  hear  of  "  The  Most  High." 
It  is  the  millennial  name  of  God.  We  see  then  in 
the  fourth  chapter  the  pride  and  self-exaltation  of 
the  Gentiles,  and  how  the  Gentiles  will  be  humili- 
ated and  judged.  First  there  is  self-exaltation, 
that  is  followed  by  judgment  and  then  follows 
restoration  and  the  acknowledgment  of  the  Most 
High. 

That  nothing  more  is  now  reported  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, that  the  last  which  we  hear  of  him  in 
Scripture  is  his  acknowledgment  of  the  Most  High, 
is  also  not  without  meaning.  It  foreshadows  the 
universal  acknowledgment  of  God  in  the  Kingdom 
which  the  God  of  heaven  will  set  up,  when  the 
stone  fills  as  the  mountain  the  whole  earth. 


CHAPTER  V 
Belshazzar's  Feast  and  the  Fall  of  Babylon 

The  history  of  this  chapter  is  so  well  known 
that  we  need  not  to  relate  it  in  full.  It  was  in  the 
year  538  B.  C.  that  this  happened.  The  end  of  the 
Babylonian  captivity  was  almost  reached  and  Bel- 
shazzar  was  reigning  over  the  empire.  He  was  the 
grandson  of  Nebuchadnezzar  and  vice-regent  of 
the  empire;  his  father's  name  was  Nabonnaid. 

Critics  have  stated  that  Nebuchadnezzar  could 
not  be  the  grandfather  of  Belshazzar  for  Nabonnaid, 
Belshazzar's  father,  was  not  a  son  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar. This  objection  is  seemingly  strengthened 
by  the  fact  that  no  ancient  historian  gives  the  name 
of  Belshazzar,  from  which  the  critics  concluded 
that  he  must  be  a  myth.  Berosus,  who  lived  about 
250  years  after  the  Persian  invasion,  gives  the  fol- 
lowing list  of  Babylonian  monarchs : 

Nabuchodonosar  (Nebuchadnezzar) . 

Evil  Marudak,  who  is  the  Evil  Merodach  of  the 
Bible. 

Neriglissor. 

Laborosoarchod. 

Nabonnaid. 

Cyrus,  the  Persian  conqueror. 
54 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  55 

Different  attempts  were  made  to  clear  up  this 
difficulty,  but  they  failed.  Now  if  Daniel  wrote 
his  book  he  must  be  correct.  But  the  critics  are  "^ 
ever  ready  to  put  the  doubt  not  on  the  side  of 
history,  but  on  the  side  of  the  Bible.  So  they  said 
Berosus  was  not  mistaken  and  that  if  Daniel  really 
had  written  the  book,  which  bears  his  name,  he 
would  have  been  historically  correct.  This  is 
how  matters  stood  up  to  1854.  In  that  year  Sir 
Rawlinson  translated  a  number  of  tablets  brought 
to  light  by  the  spade  from  the  ruins  of  the  Baby- 
lonian civilization.  These  contained  the  memorials 
of  Nabonnaid  and  in  these  the  name  of  Bil-shar- 
uzzar  appeared  frequently  and  is  mentioned  as  the 
son  of  Nabonnaid  and  sharing  the  government  with 
him.  The  existence  of  Belshazzar  and  the  accuracy 
of  Daniel  were  at  once  established  beyond  the 
shadow  of  a  doubt. 

Daniel  was  promised  by  Belshazzar  to  become 
the  third  ruler  in  the  kingdom  (Dan.  v,  16). 

Why  the  third  and  not  the  second?  Because 
Nabonnaid  was  the  first,  Belshazzar  his  son  was 
the  second  and  vice-regent.  Nabonnaid  had  a 
daughter  of  Nebuchadnezzar  for  wife  and  there- 
fore Belshazzar  from  his  mother's  side  was  the 
grandson  of  Nebuchadnezzar. 

But  have  the  critics  learned  by  this  complete 
defeat?  Have  they  profited  by  this  experience  and 
will  they  leave  the  Bible  alone?  Not  by  any  means. 
They  continue  to  look  for  flaws  in  the  infallible 
Book.  Some  day  they  will  discover  the  seriousness 
of  their  work. 


56  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

Daniel  writes  of  Belshazzar  as  the  "  son "  of 
Nebuchadnezzar.  This  is  no  discrepancy  at  all  for 
the  Semitic  languages  have  no  word  for  "  grand- 
father "  or  "  grandson." 

Matters  have  gone  from  bad  to  worse  in  the  em- 
pire. A  great  feast  is  held,  which  was  perhaps  an 
annual  aflFair.  What  splendor  was  exhibited!  A 
thousand  lords  and  princes  with  their  wives  and  con- 
cubines! Luxuries  and  licentiousness  were  seen  at 
that  feast.  When  it  was  at  its  height  an  awful 
blasphemy  was  committed  by  Belshazzar.  He  com- 
manded that  the  precious  vessels  which  Nebuchad- 
nezzar had  taken  from  the  temple  in  Jerusalem  be 
brought  that  they  might  all  drink  out  of  them.  Then 
they  blasphemed  God  and  praised  their  idols.  It 
was  an  open  blasphemy  and  defiance  of  God.  Over 
against  the  candlestick  on  the  plaster  of  the  wall,  all 
at  once  a  man's  hand  appeared  and  the  King  beheld 
the  hand  that  wrote.  The  whole  feast  came  at  once 
to  an  end.  The  joy  gave  way  to  fear.  The  King  be- 
came pale  and  his  knees  shook;  the  laughter  gradu- 
ally died  out  as  one  after  another  beheld  the 
mysterious  words  which  had  been  written  on  the 
wall.  Once  more  the  Chaldeans  and  astrologers 
are  called  and  once  more  they  are  unable  to  read  the 
writing  and  give  the  interpretation.  Then  the  wife 
of  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  aged  queen,  appears  upon 
the  scene.  She  evidently  had  no  sympathy  with  the 
feast.     She  calls  attention  to  the  forgotten  Daniel. 

There  is  a  man  in  thy  kingdom  in  whom  is  the  spirit 
of  the  holy  gods;  and  in  the  days  of  thy  father,  light 


THE   PROPHET  DANIEE  if 

and  understanding  and  wisdom,  like  the  wisdonl  of  the 
gods,  was  found  in  him;  whom  the  King  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, thy  father,  the  King,  I  say,  thy  father,  made 
master  of  the  magicians,  astrologers,  Chaldeans,  and 
soothsayers.  Forasmuch  as  an  excellent  spirit,  and 
knowledge,  and  understanding,  interpreting  of  dreams, 
and  showing  of  hard  sentences,  and  dissolving  of 
doubts,  were  found  in  the  same  Daniel,  whom  the  King 
named  Belteshazzar :  now  let  Daniel  be  called,  and  he 
will  show  the  interpretation  (verses  11-12). 

Then  Daniel  is  introduced.  He  was,  as  pre- 
viously stated,  an  old  man.  Years  and  years  had 
passed  since  he  had  interpreted  Nebuchadnezzar's 
dream  and  sat  in  the  gate  of  the  King,  but  Bel- 
shazzar  had  no  knowledge  of  him.  Patiently  he 
must  have  waited  in  seclusion  for  other  service 
His  God  might  give  him.  The  fact  that  Daniel  was 
no  longer  remembered  and  neglected  is  a  vvitness 
of  the  degeneracy  of  Babylon. 

Daniel  refused  the  honors  of  the  King,  he  has  to 
offer.  He  knew  that  ere  long,  but  a  few  hours 
more,  and  the  blaspheming  King  would  be  no  more. 
And  Daniel  is  more  than  an  interpreter  of  the 
handwriting  on  the  wall.  He  is  God's  Prophet  and 
messenger.     Listen  to  his  sublime  words: 


Then  Daniel  answered  and  said  before  the  King,  Let 
thy  gifts  be  to  thyself,  and  give  thy  rewards  to  an- 
other; yet  I  will  read  the  writing  unto  the  King,  and 
make  known  to  him  the  interpretation.  O  thou  King, 
the  most  high  God  gave  Nebuchadnezzar  thy  father  a 
kingdom,  and  majesty,  and  glory,  and  honor.  And  for 
the  majesty  that  he  gave  him,  all  people,  nations,  and 


S8  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

languages  trembled  and  feared  before  him:  whom  he 
would  he  slew;  and  whom  he  would  he  kept  alive;  and 
whom  he  would  he  set  up;  and  whom  he  would  he  put 
down.  But  when  his  heart  was  lifted  up,  and  his  mind 
hardened  in  pride,  he  was  deposed  from  his  kingly- 
throne,  and  they  took  his  glory  from  him :  An/i  he 
was  driven  from  the  sons  of  men ;  and  his  heart  was 
made  like  the  beasts,  and  his  dwelling  was  with  the 
wild  asses;  they  fed  him  with  grass  like  oxen,  and  his 
body  was  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven;  till  he  knew 
that  the  most  high  God  ruled  in  the  kingdom  of  men, 
and  that  he  appointeth  over  it  whomsoever  he  will.  And 
thou  his  son,  O,  Belshazzar,  hast  not  humbled  thine 
heart,  though  thou  knewest  all  this;  But  hast  Hfted  up 
thyself  against  the  Lord  of  heaven;  and  they  have 
brought  the  vessels  of  his  house  before  thee,  and  thou, 
and  thy  lords,  thy  wives,  and  thy  concubines,  have 
drunk  wine  in  them ;  and  thou  hast  praised  the  gods  of 
silver  and  gold,  of  brass,  iron,  wood,  and  stone,  which 
see  not,  nor  hear,  nor  know :  and  the  God  in  whose  . 
hand  thy  breath  is,  and  whose  are  all  thy  ways,  hast 
thou  not  glorified  (verses  17-23). 

Then  followed  the  reading  of  the  letters  on  the 
wall.  Mene,  Mene,  "  Numbered  -  Numbered  " ; 
Tekel—'*  Weighed";  Upharsin  "and  divided."*  It 
was  the  solemn  announcement  of  the  impending 
judgment.  In  that  night  was  Belshazzar  the  King 
of  the  Chaldeans  slain.  How  the  Persians  took  the 
city  by  diverting  the  river  Euphrates,  which  ran 
through  the  city  is  well  known  from  history. 

But  what  are  the  lessons  here?  The  last  days  of 
Belshazzar  were  days  of  the  lust  of  the  flesh  and 
the  lust  of  the  eyes.  Impiety  reached  its  climax 
in  open  defiance  and  opposition   to  the   God   of 

♦Lit  divides. 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  59 

Israel.  Babylon  was  glorying  and  boasting  in  her 
own  gods  and  achievements.  What  does  Babylon 
represent?  In  its  final  form  it  is  the  great  religious 
world  system  which  flourishes  immediately  after 
the  church  has  been  called  away.  This  final  Baby- 
lon is  a  great  ecclesiastical  system,  the  center  of 
which  is  Rome.  Such  a  system,  a  universal  church 
full  of  corruption,  will  be  in  existence  during  the 
time  of  the  end,  but  it  will  not  last  to  the  end. 
According  to  Revelation  that  final  Babylon  will  be 
overthrown  by  the  ten  horns  before  the  seven  years 
are  accomplished,  with  which  the  Gentile  age  closes. 

And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest  upon  the  beast, 
these  shall  hate  the  whore,  and  shall  make  her  desolate 
and  naked,  and  shall  eat  her  flesh,  and  burn  her  with 
fire.  For  God  hath  put  in  their  hearts  to  fulfill  his  will, 
and  to  agree,  and  give  their  kingdom  unto  the  beast, 
until  the  words  of  God  shall  be  fulfilled.  And  the 
woman  which  thou  sawest  is  that  great  city,  which 
reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the  earth.  (Rev.  xvii. 
16-17). 

A  political  power  overthrew  the  literal  Babylon 
and  a  political  power  will  overthrow  the  ecclesiasti- 
cal Babylon. 

But  though  we  do  not  yet  see  this  final,  great 
ecclesiastical  system,  because  the  hour  for  it  has 
not  yet  come,  the  material  for  it  is  present.  We  are 
living  in  the  days  of  Laodicea,  the  days  of  boasting 
and  vainglory.  The  days  in  which  we  hear  on  all 
sides,  "  I  am  rich  and  increased  with  goods  and 
have  need  of  nothing."  What  we  hear  mostly  to- 
day is  of  the  great  strides  we  are  making,  the  glori- 
ous times  we  are  living  in  and  the  still  better  times 


6o  THE  PROPHET  DANIEi: 

which  are  coming.  But  what  is  underneath  it  all? 
An  impiety  and  blasphemy  even  greater  than  the 
impiety  and  blasphemy  in  the  banqueting  hall  of 
Belshazzar.  Hear  some  of  the  blasphemies  of 
present  day  Christendom:  The  Bible  is  not  the 
Word  of  God,  God's  holy  Word  is  but  a  book  like 
other  books  containing  numerous  errors,  myths, 
and  legend.  Is  not  this  a  great  blasphemy  making 
God  a  liar?  And  worse  than  that,  that  worthy 
Name,  the  Name  which  is  above  every  other  name, 
is  blasphemed.  He  is  rejected  as  God's  holy  Son; 
His  virgin  birth  is  sneered  at;  the  blessed  death 
on  the  cross  and  its  meaning  for  a  lost  world  is  set 
aside;  every  article  of  the  faith  is  denied.  Are  these 
not  greater  blasphemies  than  taking  golden  vessels 
which  were  dedicated  to  Jehovah  and  make  them 
profane  in  a  banqueting  hall?  Yea,  the  best  which 
God  could  give,  the  finest  gold,  His  own  blessed 
Son,  has  been  and  is  blasphemed.  God  will  not  stand 
this  boasting,  self-glorying,  Christ-blaspheming  and 
Christ-rejecting  age  forever.  And  the  moral  de- 
clension is  as  prominent  as  the  doctrinal  departure. 
Luxuries  and  lusts  hold  sway  on  every  hand.  The 
days  of  Lot,  filled  with  licentiousness,  are  becoming 
more  evident.  The  material  for  the  final  Babylon, 
the  great  apostasy  is  present  with  us  in  our  day. 
The  well  deserved  judgment  to  fall  upon  Christen- 
dom will  surely  come  and  not  linger. 

And  the  handwriting  on  the  wall?  The  same 
hand  which  wrote  on  the  plaster,  over  against  the 
candlestick  in  Belshazzar's  hall,  has  written  the 
judgment  and  the  doom  of  apostate  Christendom 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  6i 

on  the  pages  of  the  Bible.  There  is  a  "  Mene,  Mene 
Tekel "  for  the  present  day  conditions  of  Christen- 
dom. Mene,  Mene,  "numbered."  The  days  are 
numbered.  They  cannot  extend  beyond  the  time 
appointed  by  the  God  of  heaven.  We  do  not  know 
when  they  will  expire.  God  knows  that  and  all 
attempts  to  find  ou  t  the  year  or  the  times  will  meet 
with  failure  and  bring  dishonor  upon  God's  Word. 
The  time  is  near,  that  is  what  many  of  God's  people 
feel  in  their  hearts. 

Daniel  having  been  forgotten  with  his  God-given 
interpretations  has  also  its  lesson.  So  have  the 
words  of  God,  the  revelations  in  the  Prophetic 
Word  been  forgotten.  Some  day  they  will  be 
brought  back,  but  then  it  will  be  too  late  for  repent- 
ance, as  it  was  too  late  for  Belshazzar.  This  moral 
condition  of  the  first  empire,  Babylon,  immediately 
before  the  judgment  came  upon  it,  at  the  close  of 
the  70-year  captivity  of  the  Jews,  is  thus  described 
in  this  chapter.  It  foreshadows  the  moral  condi- 
tions of  the  time  of  the  end,  when  Israel's  long 
dispersion  is  almost  ended  and  when  God  will  cut 
out  the  ingrafted  branches,  the  Gentiles,  and  put 
back  Israel  upon  their  own  olive  tree.  May  we 
hear  God's  call  to  separation  from  that  which  is 
evil.  Babylon — confusion  is  all  about  us  and  God 
wants  His  people  to  be  separated  from  that  which 
hates  and  despises  His  truth.  In  the  midst  of  in- 
creasing corruption  and  apostasy  we  must  ever 
honor  Christ  more  in  our  hearts  and  lives,  be  oc- 
cupied with  His  Word  and  do  His  will,  so  that  we 
are  not  partakers  of  her  sins. 


CHAPTER  VI 

The  Decree  of  Darius  the  Mede.     Daniel  in  the 
Lions'  Den  and  His  Deliverance 

In  this  chapter  we  are  on  the  ground  of  the 
second  world  empire,  the  Medo-Persian,  repre- 
sented in  the  dream  image  of  Nebuchadnezzar  by 
the  chest  and  arms  of  silver.  It  is  therefore  inferior 
and  continues  in  the  downward  tendency.  And 
this  comes  out  in  this  chapter.  Daniel  is  seen  in 
the  highest  position  of  the  empire,  the  first  of  three 
presidents  over  the  whole  kingdom,  and  Darius 
the  Mede  intended  to  give  him  a  still  greater  place 
of  honor.  Most  likely  Darius  heard  of  what  hap- 
pened in  that  eventful  night  when  Belshazzar  was 
feasting  and  when  the  enemy  entered  the  dried-up 
river  bed  and  took  Babylon. 

But  this  condition  did  not  prevail  very  long.  The 
old  Prophet,  over  80  years  of  age,  is  soon  envied  by 
other  presidents  and  princes.  But  they  cannot  dis- 
cover anything  whatever  in  him  concerning  the 
kingdom.  A  plan  is  concocted  by  them  which,  ac- 
cording to  their  mind,  will  surely  rid  them  of  the 
hated  Daniel.  The  plan  reveals  the  cunning  of  the 
Serpent.    With  lying  tongues  they  come  to  Darius 

62 


THE   PROPHET  DANIEL  63 

to  inform  him  that  all  the  presidents  have  consulted 
together  to  establish  a  royal  statute.  But  as  Daniel 
was  one  of  the  presidents  and  had  not  been  con- 
sulted nor  agreed  to  it,  they  plainly  told  a  falsehood. 

The  decree  to  be  established  was  that  for  30  days 
no  one  in  the  realm  of  the  empire  is  to  ask  a  peti- 
tion of  any  God  or  man,  save  Darius.  In  other 
words,  the  King  is  to  take  the  place  of  God.  And 
he  who  does  not  do  according  to  this  royal  statute 
is  to  be  cast  into  the  den  of  lions.  The  King  is  well 
pleased  with  this  proposition  for  it  flatters  him.  He 
signs  the  writing  and  the  decree  and  the  laws  of 
the  Medes  were  irrevocable,  so  that  it  had  to  be 
carried  out. 

Beautiful  it  is  to  see  Daniel's  steadfastness,  how; 
the  man  of  faith,  whose  first  steps  in  the  life  of  faith 
are  recorded  in  the  beginning  of  this  book,  now  acts. 
"  Now  when  Daniel  knew  that  the  writing  was 
signed,  he  went  into  his  house;  and  his  windows 
being  open  in  his  chamber  toward  Jerusalem,  he 
kneeled  upon  his  knees  three  times  a  day,  and 
prayed,  and  gave  thanks  before  his  God,  as  he  did 
aforetime." 

The  aged  man  of  prayer,  in  sweet  communion; 
with  God,  continues  thrice  daily  to  pray  and  to 
give  thanks.  Faith  looks  away  from  earthly  cir- 
cumstances to  an  omnipotent  Lord.  The  accusa- 
tion soon  follows.  The  King  now  discovers  that  he 
is  in  a  hopeless  position.  His  law  demands  that 
Daniel  be  cast  before  the  lions,  his  heart  filled  with 
love  towards  Daniel  demands  that  he  be  saved. 
But  though  his  heart  .was  set  on  delivering  Daniel 


64  THE  PROPHETj  DANIEL 

and  he  labored  till  the  going  down  of  the  sun  he 
found  no  way  to  deliver  him.  Well  may  >ye  think 
here  of  another  Law  and  another  Love.  God,  a 
holy  and  righteous  God  and  a  God  of  love,  found 
a  way  to  save  man.  God's  holy  Law  condemns 
man,  who  is  a  sinner  and  the  curse  of  the  law  rests 
upon  him.  God's  Love  is  set  upon  the  world  and 
He  "  so  loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His  only 
Begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  Him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  The 
curse  of  the  Law  came  upon  Him  who  knew  no 
sin  and  who  was  made  sin  for  us  and  therein  is 
Love  manifested.  Daniel  is  cast  into  the  lions'  den 
as  our  blessed  Lord  was  given  to  the  lion  (Psalm 
xxii,  21),  and  a  stone  is  laid  upon  the  mouth  of  the 
den  and  it  is  sealed  with  the  King's  signet.  He  is 
so  to  speak  in  a  grave,  as  good  as  dead  in  the  eyes 
of  the  world,  for  who  has  ever  heard  of  hungry 
lions  not  devouring  a  man.  And  all  this  brings 
before  us  that  other  place,  the  tomb  in  the  garden, 
where  He  was  laid  and  the  stone  before  it,  which 
bore  the  seal  of  the  Roman  world  power.  But  as 
Daniel  could  not  be  hurt  by  the  lions,  so  He  who 
went  into  the  jaws  of  death  could  not  be  holden  by 
death.  The  tomb  is  empty  and  He  is  victor  over, 
death  and  the  grave.  All  this  is  blessedly  fore- 
shadowed in  this  experience  of  God's  prophet. 

After  a  restless  and  sleepless  night,  Darius,  who 
kad  such  regard  for  Daniel,  went  very  early  in  the 
«ax)rnmg  to  the  lions'  den  and  cried  with  a  lament- 
able voice  unto  Daniel.  "  O  Daniel,  servant  of  the 
Rvfaig  God,  is  thy  God  whom  thou  servest  con- 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  65 

tinually,  able  to  deliver  thee  from  the  lions?"  Then 
came  the  answer  which  filled  the  heart  of  the  King 
with  joy.  Daniel  was  alive.  His  accusers  and  their 
families  are  given  to  the  lions,  which  claimed  them 
at  once. 

Then  followed  the  proclamation  of  the  King: 
"  Then  King  Darius  wrote  unto  all  people,  nations, 
and  languages,  that  dwell  in  all  the  earth ;  peace  be 
multiplied  unto  you.  I  make  a  decree,  that  in  every 
dominion  of  my  kingdom  men  tremble  and  fear 
before  the  God  of  Daniel :  for  he  is  the  living  God, 
and  stedfast  for  ever,  and  his  kingdom  that  which 
shall  not  be  destroyed,  and  his  dominion  shall  be 
even  unto  the  end.  He  delivereth  and  rescueth,  and 
he  worketh  signs  and  wonders  in  heaven  and  in 
earth,  who  hath  delivered  Daniel  from  the  power 
of  the  lions." 

In  this  historical  incident  we  behold  almost  the 
same  characteristic  as  in  the  third  chapter.  There 
was  set  up  the  image  of  gold  to  be  worshipped, 
the  deification  of  man;  and  here  a  man  is  put  in 
the  place  of  God,  honor  and  worship  is  demanded 
for  him.  That  this  once  more  directs  our  attention 
to  the  time  of  the  end,  when  the  times  of  the  Gen- 
tiles come  to  a  close,  needs  hardly  to  be  stated.  It 
is  significant  that  the  same  deification  of  man  is 
mentioned  in  the  second  empire,  which  was  shown 
in  the  Babylonian.  It  is  the  characteristic  feature 
of  every  one  of  these  world  empires.  Nebuchad- 
nezzar and  Darius  took  the  lead. 

In  the  one  which  followed,  the  Graeco-Mace- 
donian,  we  find  Antiochus   Epiphancs,  .who  took 


66  THE   PROPHET  DANIEL 

the  same  place.  In  the  Roman  Empire  we  have 
emperors  and  others,  like  Herodes,  claiming  divine 
honors ;  in  papal  Rome  the  popes  claim  infallibility. 
And  in  apostate  Protestantism  the  deification  of  man 
appears  likewise.  But  all  points  to  the  end,  when 
the  man  of  sin,  the  Son  of  perdition  will  appear,  the 
final  Anti-Christ  "  who  opposeth  and  exalteth  him- 
self against  all  that  is  called  God  or  worshipped; 
so  that  he  as  God,  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God, 
showing  himself  that  he  is  God  "  (2  Thessal.  ii,  4). 
Of  the  same  person  we  read  also  in  this  Book: 
"  And  the  King  shall  do  according  to  his  will ;  and 
he  shall  exalt  himself,  and  magnify  himself  above 
every  god,  and  shall  speak  marvellous  things 
against  the  God  of  gods  and  shall  prosper  till  the 
indignation  be  accomplished :  for  that  that  is  deter- 
mined shall  be  done.  Neither  shall  he  regard  the 
God  of  his  fathers,  nor  the  desire  of  women,  nor 
regard  any  god :  for  he  shall  magnify  himself  above 
all"  (xi,  36,  37). 

The  deliverance  of  Daniel  once  more  foreshadows 
the  deliverance  of  the  faithful  Jewish  remnant.  It 
is  strange  that  expositors  and  teachers  put  the 
church  into  this  time  of  the  end.  The  church, 
according  to  the  testimony  of  the  New  Testament 
Scriptures,  will  no  longer  be  on  earth  when  this 
predicted  time  of  the  end  comes.  We  have  then 
seen  that  these  four  chapters  foreshadow  the  moral 
characteristics  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles,  down 
to  the  end,  when  the  stone  smites  the  image  and 
it  will  forever  pass  away.  Self  exaltation,  the 
pride  and  deification  of  man,  impiety,  blasphemy, 


JHE  PROPHET  DANIEL  67 

hatred,  persecution,  cruelty,  man  putting  himself 
in  the  place  of  God  are  the  leading  features.  Even 
so  it  is. 

But  we  must  not  pass  over  the  last  verse  of  the 
sixth  chapter.  "  So  this  Daniel  prospered  in  the 
reign  of  Darius,  and  in  the  reign  of  Cyrus  the 
Persian." 

It  tells  of  the  prosperity  of  the  man  of  faith  even 
as  the  delivered  remnant  will  prosper.  But  here 
is  another  prophetic  type.  Isaiah  had  announced 
the  birth  and  work  of  this  same  Cyrus  over  a 
hundred  years  before  he  was  born.  Let  us  read 
what  Isaiah  said  of  him. 

That  saith  of  Cyrus,  He  is  my  shepherd,  and  shall 
perform  all  my  pleasure:  even  saying  to  Jerusalem, 
Thou  shall  be  built;  and  to  the  temple,  Thy  foundation 
shall  be  laid.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  His  anointed,  to 
Cyrus,  whose  right  hand  I  have  holden,  to  subdue 
nations  before  him ;  and  I  will  loose  the  loins  of  kings, 
to  open  before  him  the  two  leaved  gates ;  and  the  gates 
shall  not  be  shut;  I  will  go  before  thee,  and  make  the 
crooked  places  straight :  I  will  break  in  pieces  the  gates 
of  brass,  and  cut  in  sunder  the  bars  of  iron;  And  I 
will  give  thee  the  treasures  of  darkness,  and  hidden 
riches  of  secret  places,  that  thou  mayest  know  that  I, 
the  Lord,  which  call  thee  by  thy  name,  am  the  God 
of  Israel.  For  Jacob  my  servant's  sake,  and  Israel 
mine  elect,  I  have  even  called  thee  by  thy  name :  I  have 
surnamed  thee,  though  thou  hast  not  known  me  (Is. 
xliv.  28;  xlv.  1-4). 

This  is  the  remarkable  word.  What  Isaiah  had 
announced  happened,  for  under  Cyrus  the  remnant 
returned.     God  calls  Cyrus  "  my  shepherd "  and 


m  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

"my  anointed."  In  this  he  is  a  type  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Here  then  is  the  application.  When 
the  time  comes,  when  a  man,  the  Anti-Christ  claims 
divine  honor  and  worship  and  when  the  remnant 
of  His  people  is  delivered  out  of  the  lion's  mouth, 
then  another  Cyrus  appears  upon  the  scene,  one 
greater  than  Cyrus,  one  who  will  gather  the  scat- 
tered sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,  even  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 


THE   SECOND    PART    OF   THE   BOOK   OF 

DANIEL 

The    seventh    chapter    takes    us    back    to    the 
first    year     of     Belshazzar's     reign.       Daniel,^  as 
we  saw  from  the  fifth  chapter  had  been  set  aside; 
no   dreams   had   occurred   after   Nebuchadnezzar's 
insanity  and  restoration  and  there  was  no  need  for 
his  interpretation.     How  blessed  the  years  must 
have  been  for  him  when  he  could  be  alone  with 
God.     While   Belshazzar   and   his   kingdom  were 
rushing  on  towards  the  great  overthrowing  judg- 
ment, God  gave  to  Daniel  wonderful  communica- 
tions.   These  came  to  him  in  dream  visions.    These 
visions  likewise  cover  the  times  of  the  Gentiles; 
they  reveal  mostly  the  relation  of  the  Gentiles  to 
the  Jewish  people,  the  conflict  between  the  world 
powers  and  the  people  of  Israel.     Much  of  that 
which  Daniel  beheld  was  fulfilled  in  past  history, 
but  all  points  also  to  "  the  time  of  the  end,"  that  is, 
to  the  closing  scenes  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles. 
The  great  struggle  of  this  end  time,  the  appearance 
of  the  little  horns  and  the  Anti-christ,  the  great  trib- 
ulation with  its  unparalled  persecutions,  the  com- 
plete overthrow  of  the  enemies  of  Israel,  and  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  kingdom  on  earth,  are  some  of 
the  sublime  revelations  we  find  here. 

69 


70  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

Perhaps  some  of  the  revelations  contained  in  this 
part  of  the  book  will  never  be  fully  grasped  and 
appreciated  till  that  time  of  the  end  has  arrived. 
The  seventh  chapter  may  be  looked  upon  as  the 
introduction  to  this  second  part  of  the  Book,  as 
the  second  chapter  is  the  introduction  to  the  first 
part.  The  eighth  chapter  contains  the  vision  of 
the  ram,  the  he-goat  and  the  vision  of  the  little 
horn.  The  vision  of  the  seventy  weeks  is  found 
in  the  ninth  chapter  and  the  last  three  chapters 
give  the  closing  vision  of  the  Book. 


CHAPTER  VII 

Danicrs  Night  Visions  and  Their  Meaning 

In  the  second  chapter  we  learned  that  the  dream 
of  Nebuchadnezzar  was  occasioned  by  the  desire 
of  that  Monarch  to  know  what  should  come  to 
pass  hereafter.  The  visions  of  Daniel  must  have 
been  given  to  him  for  a  similar  reason.  He  too 
desired  knowledge  about  these  great  events  of  the 
future.  The  question  which  agitated  Daniel's  mind 
must  have  been  the  question  about  his  own,  dear 
people  and  their  future  in  the  midst  of  all  the  up- 
heavals he  saw  in  the  King's  dream,  when  the 
stone  smote  the  image  and  it  passed  away. 
Nothing  whatever  had  been  made  known  in  that 
dream  about  his  beloved  city  Jerusalem.  He  had 
the  writings  of  former  Prophets;  as  we  shall  find 
in  chapter  ix,  he  studied  them  diligently.  He  had 
the  Psalms  of  David  likewise,  though  they  may 
not  yet  have  been  collected  in  a  book.  In  all  these 
he  learned  of  the  future  of  God's  people  and  the 
glories  promised  to  them  in  the  latter  days.  He 
also  read  in  the  Prophecies  of  the  past  that  Israel's 
enemies  were  to  be  judged  and  overthrown.  No 
doubt  the  Prophet  in  deep  soul  exercise,  such  as 
we  find  later  in  the  ninth  and  tenth  chapters 
turned  to  God  "  desiring  mercies  from  the  God  of 
heaven."     Whether  his  three  friends  were  united 

71 


72  THE  PROPHET   DANIEL 

with  him  in  this  we  do  not  know.    After  the  fiery 
furnace  experience  we  read  nothing  more  of  Shad- 
rach,  Meshach  and  Abed-nego. 
There  are  four  visions  in  the  seventh  chapter. 

I.  The  night  vision  of  the  three  beasts  (verses 
1-6). 

II.  The  night  vision  of  the  fourth  beast  with  the 
ten  horns  and  the  little  horn  (verses  7-8). 

III.  The  Judgment  vision  (verses  9-12). 

IV.  The  Son  of  Man  and  His  Kingdom  (verses 
13-14). 

Then  follows  the  divine  interpretation  of  these 
four  visions.  This  interpretation  may  be  divided 
into  three  parts. 

I.  A  general  interpretation  (verses  15-18). 

II.  Daniel's  desire  to  know  more  about  the  fourth 
beast  (verses  19-22). 

III.  The  detailed  interpretation  given  (verses 
23-28). 

The  First  Night  Vision.  The  Prophet  saw  in 
his  vision  the  four  winds  of  heaven  striving  upon 
the  great  sea,  that  is  the  Mediterranean  sea.  It  was 
a  scene  of  storm  which  he  beheld.  The  sea  in  the 
Word  ©f  God  is  the  type  of  nations.  "  The  waters 
which  thou  sawest  *  *  *  are  peoples,  and  multi- 
tudes, and  nations  and  tongues"  (Revel,  xvii,  15). 
"  Woe  to  the  multitude  of  many  people,  which 
make  a  noise  like  the  noise  of  the  seas ;  and  to  the 
rushing  of  nations,  like  the  rushings  of  mighty 
waters"  (Isaiah  xvii,  12).  The  beloved  disciple 
in  the  isle  of  Patmos,  alone  with  God  as  Daniel 
the  man  greatly  beloved  was  alone  with  Him,  John, 


THE   PROPHET  DANIEU  73 

"  stood  upon  the  sand  of  the  sea,  and  saw  a  beast 
rise  up  out  of  the  sea."  The  sand  of  the  sea  stands 
for  the  multitudes  of  people  while  the  sea  itself 
presents  the  people  in  their  agitation.  Then  John 
saw  a  beast  rising  out  of  the  sea,  a  vision  which  is 
closely  linked  with  this  chapter  as  we  shall  find 
later.  But  Daniel  beheld  in  his  first  night  vision 
three  beasts,  one  diverse  from  the  other  rising  from 
the  sea.  A  lion  with  eagles  wings,  a  bear,  raised 
up  on  one  side  with  three  ribs  and  a  leopard  with 
four  wings  and  four  heads.  These  three  beasts* 
represent  the  first  three  world  empires.  A  brief 
word  on  each  sufficeth : 

"  The  first  was  like  a  lion,  and  had  eagles  wings : 
I  beheld  till  the  wings  thereof  were  plucked,  and 
it  was  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  and  made  stand 
upon  the  feet  as  a  man,  and  a  man's  heart  was  given 
to  it." 

As  gold  is  the  most  precious  metal,  so  the  lion 
IS  the  king  among  the  beasts  of  the  forest.  The 
gold  in  the  dream  image  and  the  first  beast  repre- 
sent the  Babylonian  empire.  In  the  beginning  it 
was  a  lion  with  wings,  but  they  were  plucked  out;  it 
lost  its  strength  and  though  it  had  a  man's  heart, 
it  was  a  beast  still.  This  may  also  have  connection 
with  Nebuchadnezzar's  insanity  experience.f 

*  In  Revelation  iv.  and  v.  we  read  in  the  A.  V.  of  "  beasts  " 
but  the  words  there  should  be  translated  "living  ones";  they 
are  the  cherubin  of  Ezekiel's  vision. 

t  Even  before  this  Nebuchadnezzar  had  been  described  as 
a  lion.  "The  lion  is  come  up  from  his  thicket,  and  the  de- 
stroyer of  the  Gentiles  is  on  his  way"  (Jerem.  iv.  7).  Else- 
where he  is  spoken  of  as  an  eagle. 


74  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

"And  behold  another  beast,  a  second,  like  to  a 
bear,  and  it  raised  up  itself  on  one  side,  and  it  had 
three  ribs  in  the  mouth  of  it  between  the  teeth  of 
it :  and  they  said  unto  it,  Arise,  devour  much  flesh." 

The  bear  stands  for  the  Medo-Persian  empire, 
the  empire  seen  as  of  silver,  the  chest  and  arms. 
One  paw  is  lifted  up,  because  the  Persian  element 
was  stronger  than  that  of  the  Medes.  The  bear 
had  three  ribs  in  its  mouth,  because  Susiana,  Lydia 
and  Asia  Minor  had  been  conquered  by  this  power. 
In  the  eighth  chapter  this  Medo-Persian  empire  is 
represented  by  the  ram  with  two  horns. 

"After  this  I  beheld,  and  lo  another,  like  a 
leopard,  which  had  upon  the  back  of  it  four  wings 
of  a  fowl ;  the  beast  had  also  four  heads ;  and  do- 
minion was  given  to  it." 

The  leopard,  with  four  wings  and  four  heads,  is 
the  picture  of  the  Graeco-Macedonian  empire,  cor- 
responding to  the  thighs  of  brass  in  the  image  of 
Nebuchadnezzar.  The  four  wings  denote  its  swift- 
ness, the  four  heads  the  partition  of  this  empire 
into  the  kingdoms  of  Syria,  Egypt,  Macedonia  and 
Asia  Minor.  It  is  seen  in  the  next  chapter  as  the 
rough  he-goat  with  a  notable  horn  (Alexander  the 
Great)  and  the  little  horn  (Antiochus  Epiphanes). 
The  fourth  beast  was  not  seen  in  the  first  vision. 
Before  we  turn  to  the  second  night  vision  of  the 
Prophet  we  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  in  the 
selection  of  beasts  to  represent  these  world  powers 
who  domineer  the  times  of  the  Gentiles,  God  tells 
us  that  their  moral  character  is  beastly.  The  lion 
devours,  the  bear  crushes,  the  leopard  springs  upon 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  75 

its  prey.  The  next,  the  fourth  and  last  world  em- 
pire is  so  beastly  that  no  beast  on  earth  is  found  to 
describe  its  true  character.  The  great  nations  of 
Christendom,  the  nations  which  will  be  included 
in  the  future  revival  of  the  Roman  empire  in  its 
ten  kingdom  aspect,  testify  unconsiously  to  their 
devouring,  beastly,  ferocious  nature.  The  emblem 
of  not  one  of  these  nations  is  the  dove  or  any  other 
harmless  creature.  But  you  find  the  lion,  the  bear, 
the  unicorn,  the  eagle  and  sometimes  a  monstrosity, 
an  eagle  with  two  heads.  Their  standing  armies, 
their  ever  increasing  navies  both  on  the  sea  and 
now  even  of  the  air,  tell  us  beforehand  that  some 
coming  day  in  the  near  future,  the  dogs  of  war 
will  be  let  loose  and  the  beasts  will  do  their  most 
dreadful  work. 

The  Second  Night  Vision 

After  this  I  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and  behold  a 
fourth  beast,  dreadful  and  terrible,  and  strong  exceed- 
ingly; and  it  had  great  iron  teeth;  it  devoured  and 
brake  in  pieces,  and  stamped  the  residue  with  the  feet 
of  it;  and  it  was  diverse  from  all  the  beasts  that  were 
before  it;  and  it  had  ten  horns.  I  considered  the 
horns,  and,  behold,  there  came  up  among  them  another 
little  horn,  before  whom  there  were  three  of  the  first 
horns  plucked  up  by  the  roots :  and,  behold,  in  this  horn 
were  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  man,  and  a  mouth  speaking 
great  things  (verses  7-8). 

Here  then  we  have  the  fourth  world  empire, 
the  iron  one,  Rome.  It  is  described  in  a  way  as 
none  of  the  others  are.    It  is  dreadful,  terrible,  ex- 


^6  THE   PROPHET  DANIEL 

ceeding  strong ;  it  has  great  iron  teeth.  It  devours, 
breaks  in  pieces  and  stamps  down.  It  has  ten 
horns  and  in  their  midst  rises  up  a  little  horn  with 
eyes  like  the  eyes  of  man,  and  a  mouth  speaking 
great  things. 

Inasmuch  as  Daniel  received  more  light  on  this 
beast  and  the  interpretation  of  this  vision  was  given 
him,  we  shall  not  now  enter  into  a  description  of  this 
fourth  beast,  the  meaning  of  the  ten  horns  and  the 
little  horn.  But  we  shall  do  so  when  we  reach  the 
second  half  of  the  chapter. 

The  Third  Night  Vision 

I  beheld  till  the  thrones  were  set,  and  the  Ancient  of 
Days  did  sit,  whose  garment  was  white  as  snow,  and 
the  hair  of  his  head  like  the  pure  wool:  his  throne 
was  like  the  fiery  flame,  and  his  wheels  as  burning  fire. 
A  fiery  stream  issued  and  came  forth  from  before  him : 
thousand  thousands  ministered  unto  him,  and  ten  thou- 
sand times  ten  thousand  stood  before  him;  the  judg- 
ment was  set,  and  the  books  were  opened.  I  beheld 
then  because  of  the  voice  of  the  great  words  which  the 
horn  spake:  I  beheld  even  till  the  beast  was  slain,  and 
his  body  destroyed,  and  given  to  the  burning  flame. 
As  concerning  the  rest  of  the  beasts,  they  had  their 
dominion  taken  away:  yet  their  lives  were  prolonged 
for  a  season  and  time  (verses  9-12). 

This  vision  bring  us  to  the  close  of  the  times 
of  the  Gentiles.  When  the  fourth  beast  with  the 
ten  horns  and  the  little  horn,  the  last  thing  spoken 
of  this  world  empire,  is  in  full  swing,  then  the 
end  comes.  It  is  a  great  judgment  scene  which  is 
here  before  us.    How  different  the  end  of  this  age 


THE  PROPHET]  DANIEi:  77 

as  revealed  in  the  Word  and  as  it  is  believed  in 
Christendom.  The  great  mass  knows  nothing 
whatever  about  this  age  coming  to  an  end.  It  will 
go  on  indefinitely,  so  they  believe,  and  its  future 
is  world  progress,  better  times  and  the  triumph  of 
the  Christian  civilization.  But  others  concede  that 
a  judgment  must  come  and  they  think  of  the  judg- 
ment here  as  the  universal  judgment,  the  great 
white  throne  judgment.  This  judgment  is  not  the 
last  judgment  at  all.  It  is  a  judgment  which  pre- 
cedes the  final  judgment  by  1000  years.  This  judg- 
rnent  here  must  be  read  in  connection  with  passages 
like  Matthew  xxv,  31-46  and  Rev.  xix,  19-21.  In 
reading  the  last  passage  no  one  can  doubt  that  we 
have  the  same  judgment  here  revealed  to  Daniel. 
But  who  is  the  One,  who  occupies  the  central  place 
in  this  vision  of  judgment?  There  can  be  but  one 
answer.  It  is  our  ever  blessed  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ.  John  v,  22  gives  the  conclusive 
answer.  "For  the  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but 
hath  committed  all  judgment  unto  the  Son."  The 
Ancient  of  Days  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  is 
still  more  demonstrated  if  we  turn  to  John's  great 
Patmos  vision. 

"  And  I  turned  to  see  the  voice  that  spake  with 
me.  And  being  turned  I  saw  seven  golden  candle- 
sticks. And  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  candlesticks 
one  like  unto  the  Son  of  man  clothed  with  a  gar- 
ment down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps 
with  a  golden  girdle.  His  head  and  his  hairs  white 
like  wool,  as  white  as  snow;  and  his  eyes  were  as 
a  flame  of  fire."    (Rev.  i,  12-14) 


78  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

The  judgment  falls  upon  the  fourth  beast  and 
the  little  horn,  which  had  risen  from  amidst  this 
fourth  beast,  and  had  acted  together  as  one.  This 
judgment  upon  them  is  complete  and  final.  The 
former  beasts  had  been  judged  too  in  their  time, 
their  supremacy  had  been  taken  away  but  their 
lives  had  been  spared. 

The  Fourth  Night  Vision.  Then  there  is  a  fourth 
vision  which  is  closely  connected  with  this  vision 
of  the  Ancient  of  Days  and  the  judgment  of  the 
fourth  beast. 

I  saw  in  the  night  vision  and,  behold,  one  like  the 
Son  of  man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came 
to  the  Ancient  of  Days,  and  they  brought  him  near  be- 
fore him.  And  there  was  given  him  dominion,  and 
glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations,  and 
languages,  should  serve  him :  his  dominion  is  an  ever- 
lasting dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  his 
kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed  (verses 
13-14). 

Our  Lord  appears  now  as  Son  of  Man  to  receive 
the  earthly  kingdom.  The  stone  which  smote  the 
image,  as  beheld  by  Nebuchadnezzar  now  becomes 
the  mountain  filling  the  whole  earth.  The  Ancient 
of  Days  represents  in  this  vision  God,  who  gives 
to  Him  who  is  the  Son  of  Man  the  Kingdom.  He 
.who  is  the  Ancient  of  Days,  the  Eternal  Son  of 
God,  the  Mighty  God,  Jehovah,  is  also  Son  of  Man. 
The  vision  is  in  harmony,  with  other  vision  God's 
prophets  saw,  and  fully  confirmed  by  the  testimony 
of  the  Lord  and  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  well  as  by  the  Book  of  Revelation.     A 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  79 

kingdom  is  to  be  set  up  on  this  earth,  a  kingdom 
into  which  all  people  and  nations  will  be  gathered, 
a  kingdom  over  which  one  great  and  glorious  King 
will  sway  His  scepter,  whom  all  nations  and  langua- 
ges shall  serve.  This  is  the  kingdom  for  which  the 
Lord  taught  His  disciples  to  pray  "  Thy  kingdom 
come."  He  Himself  is  the  King  of  glory.  That 
kingdom  is  not  now  on  earth.  It  cannot  be  here 
till  the  fourth  beast  with  its  ten  horns  and  the 
eleventh  little  horn  with  all  its  blasphemies  have 
been  on  the  earth.  It  cannot  come  until  He  comes 
again.  The  second  Coming  of  Christ  terminates 
Gentile  rule  and  establishes  the  kingdom  on  the 
earth.  In  other  words  the  vision  here  is  an  expan- 
sion of  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  concerning  the 
smiting  stone,  crushing  first  then  filling  the  whole 
earth  as  a  mountain. 

The  Interpretation.  The  effect  of  these  visions 
on  Daniel  was  a  troubled  spirit.    Then  we  read : 

I  came  near  unto  one  of  them  that  stood  by,  and 
asked  him  the  truth  of  all  this.  So  he  told  me  and 
made  me  know  the  interpretation  of  things.  These 
great  beasts,  which  are  four,  are  four  kings,  which 
shall  arise  out  of  the  earth.  But  the  saints  of  the 
Most  High  shall  receive  the  kingdom,  and  possess  the 
kingdom  for  ever,  even  for  ever  and  ever  (verses 
16-18). 

One  stood  by  and  Daniel  turned  to  that  One, 
who  possessed  higher  knowledge  than  he  possessed. 
A  brief  but  perfect  answer  follows.  First  he  told 
Daniel  what  the  four  beasts  represent  but  he  also 
reveals  to  him,  what  in  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream 


So  THE   PROPHET  DANIEL 

nor  in  his  own  dream  visions  had  not  been  seen, 
namely,  that  the  Saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  re- 
ceive the  kingdom,  and  possess  it  forever  and  ever. 
In  the  vision  the  Son  of  Man  was  seen  taking  the 
Kingdom  but  the  interpreting  One  tells  Daniel  that 
the  Saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  receive  it  with 
Him. 

Who  are  the  Saints  of  the  Most  High?  The  fact 
that  the  term  "  Most  High  "  is  in  the  plural  and 
may  also  be  translated  with  "  The  most  high  or 
heavenly  places  "  has  led  some  expositors  to  say 
that  the  Saints  are  the  same,  who  are  seen  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  in  which  *'  the  heavenly 
places  "  are  repeatedly  mentioned,  in  other  words 
the  Saints,  which  compose  the  church.  It  is  true 
the  church  will  be  with  the  Lord  in  Glory  and  "  we 
shall  reign  over  the  earth,"  but  this  does  not  neces- 
sarily mean  that  the  Saints  here  represent  the 
church.  There  are  other  Saints  besides  "  Church 
Saints."  The  Saints  of  whom  Daniel  was  thinking 
were  his  own  beloved  people.  To  that  people  is 
promised  a  kingdom  in  the  days  of  the  Messiah. 
With  Him  the  Lord  in  Glory,  there  is  a  heavenly 
people,  so  as  Messiah  and  the  Son  of  Man  in  con- 
nection with  the  earth  He  has  an  earthly  people. 
Saints  which  will  receive  and  possess  with  Him 
that  kingdom  which  will  fill  the  whole  earth.  These 
Saints  are  the  Godfearing  Jews,  who  pass  through 
the  great  tribulation  and  inherit  the  blessings  and 
promises  which  God  gave  through  their  own 
prophets. 

But  the  interpretation  concerns  mostly  the  ten 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  8i 

horns  on  the  fourth  beast  and  the  eleventh  little 
horn. 

Daniel  Desires  Knowledge  About  the  Fourth 
Beast.  Daniel  was  very  anxious  to  know  more 
about  the  fourth  beast,  that  was  diverse  from  the 
others,  with  its  iron  teeth  and  nails  of  brass. 

Then  I  would  know  the  truth  of  the  fourth  beast, 
which  was  diverse  from  all  the  others,  exceeding  dread- 
ful, whose  teeth  were  of  iron;  and  his  nails  of  brass; 
which  devoured,  brake  in  pieces,  and  stamped  the  res- 
idue with  his  feet;  And  of  the  ten  horns  that  were  in 
his  head,  and  of  the  other  which  came  up,  and  before 
whom  three  fell;  even  of  that  horn  that  had  eyes,  and 
a  mouth  that  spake  very  great  things,  whose  look  was 
more  stout  than  his  fellows.  I  beheld,  and  the  same 
horn  made  war  with  the  saints,  and  prevailed  against 
them;  Until  the  Ancient  of  Days  came,  and  judgment 
was  given  to  the  saints  of  the  Most  High ;  and  the  time 
came  that  the  saints  possessed  the  kingdom  (verses 
19-22). 

The  eleventh  horn,  that  had  eyes  and  the  boast- 
ing mouth,  seemed  to  perplex  his  spirit  the  most, 
for  he  saw  that  this  horn  made  war  with  the 
Saints  and  prevailed  over  them.  The  Prophet's 
heart  was  so  fully  identified  with  his  people  and 
concerned  about  them  that  he  wants  to  know  the 
truth  about  all  he  had  seen. 

The  Wish  Granted.  The  interpretation  of  the 
vision  in  a  more  complete  way  follows  upon  this 
expressed  desire  of  the  Prophet.  In  the  23d  verse 
Daniel  hears  that  this  fourth  kingdom  is  to  devour 
the  whole  earth.  It  is,  of  course,  the  Roman  Em- 
pire, and  in  its  final  uprising  it  will  extend  its  in- 


82  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

fluence  over  the  whole  earth.  It  is  wrong  to  limit 
this  word  to  the  land  of  Israel  or  to  Europe.  The 
influence  of  the  last  great  head  of  the  revived  Roman 
Empire  will  extend  beyond  the  boundaries  of  what 
used  to  be  the  Roman  Empire.  It  could  not  be 
otherwise  in  a  day  when  nations  are  brought  in  such 
close  contact  and  the  ends  of  the  earth  are  brought 
together.  America  will  no  doubt  be  involved  in  all 
this. 

And  the  ten  horns  out  of  this  kingdom  are  ten  kings 
that  shall  arise :  And  another  shall  rise  after  them ;  and 
he  shall  be  diverse  from  the  first,  and  he  shall  subdue 
three  kings.  And  he  shall  speak  great  words  against 
the  Most  High,  and  shall  wear  out  the  saints  of  the 
Most  High,  and  think  to  change  times  and  laws :  and 
they  shall  be  given  into  his  hand  until  a  time  and  times 
and  the  dividing  of  time  (verses  24-25). 

The  Ten  Horns  are  Ten  Kings.  The  ten  horns 
on  the  fourth  beast  correspond  to  the  ten  toes  of 
Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  image ;  they  are  ten  kings. 
The  Roman  empire  has  never  existed  in  this  form, 
as  we  have  already  stated  in  connection  with  the 
second  chapter.  The  Roman  empire  must  therefore 
some  day  be  revived  politically.  It  will  be  one 
great  world  power,  an  undivided  empire,  yet  in  it 
there  will  be  ten  kingdoms.  When  the  Roman  em- 
pire is  thus  revived  and  divided  into  ten  kingdoms, 
another  horn  will  spring  up  for  1260  days,  for  a 
time  and  times  and  dividing  of  time,  that  is  three 
years  and  a  half,  this  little  horn  will  be  in  power 
over  this  empire  and  act  in  the  awful  way  revealed 
in  this  interpretation. 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEU  $$ 

As   this   revived   Roman   empire  and  the  little 

horn  is  one  of  the  most  important  revelations  in 
this  book  and  in  the  entire  prophetic  Word  we  must 
become  clear  on  it. 

The  last  book  in  the  New  Testament,  the  Revela- 
tion will  help  us  much  in  this.  In  the  thirteenth 
chapter  we  find  that  which  corresponds  to  this 
vision  of  Daniel. 

And  I  stood  upon  the  sand  of  the  sea,  and  saw  a 
beast  rise  up  out  of  the  sea,  having  seven  heads  and  ten 
horns,  and  upon  his  horns  ten  crowns,  and  upon  his 
heads  the  name  of  blasphemy.  And  the  beast  which  I 
saw  was  Hke  unto  a  leopard,  and  his  feet  were  as  the 
feet  of  a  bear,  and  his  mouth  as  the  mouth  of  a  lion; 
and  the  dragon  gave  him  his  power,  and  his  seat  and 
great  authority.  And  I  saw  one  of  his  heads  as  it  were 
wounded  to  death;  and  his  deadly  wound  was  healed: 
and  all  the  world  wondered  after  the  beast.  And  they 
worshipped  the  dragon  which  gave  power  unto  the 
beast,  and  they  worshipped  the  beast,  saying,  Who 
is  like  unto  the  beast?  who  is  able  to  make  war  with 
him?  And  there  was  given  unto  him  a  mouth  speak- 
ing great  things  and  blasphemies;  and  power  was 
given  unto  him  to  continue  forty  and  two  months. 
And  he  opened  his  mouth  in  blasphemy  against  God, 
to  blaspheme  his  name,  and  his  tabernacle,  and  them 
that  dwell  in  heaven.  And  it  was  given  unto  him 
to  make  war  with  the  saints,  and  to  overcome  them: 
and  power  was  given  him  over  all  kindreds,  and 
tongues,  and  nations  (Rev.  xiii.  1-7). 

The  beast  which  John  saw  rising  out  of  the  sea 
is  the  Roman  Empire.*    The  ten  horns  with  crowns 

*  The  leopard,  the  bear  and  the  lion  are  mentioned  by  John. 
This  beast  out  of  the  sea  is  an  amalgamation  of  the  three  pre- 
vious beasts,   or  world  empires.     The  preceding  ewes  arc 


84  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

(or  diadems)  are  identical  with  the  ten  horns  on 
the  fourth  beast.  Of  the  same  beast  we  read  in 
Rev.  xvii,  8  "  the  beast  that  thou  sawest  was  and 
is  not,  and  shall  ascend  out  of  the  bottomless  pit, 
and  go  into  perdition."  This  means  that  the  Roman 
Empire  was  and  is  not.  It  ceased  existing  in  476 
A.  D.  It  will  come  into  existence  again,  when  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles  come  to  their  end.  That  end 
will  cover  twice  three  years  and  a  half,  a  truth  made 
known  to  Daniel  likewise  in  the  ninth  chapter. 
First  the  Roman  Empire  will  be  revived  politically 
in  the  beginning  of  these  last  seven  years.  This 
revival  is  stated  in  the  vision  of  John  when  he  saw 
the  beast  rising  out  of  the  sea.  But  it  will  also 
descend  out  of  the  bottomless  pit,  the  dragon  will 
give  him  his  power  and  his  seat  and  great  authority. 
This  is  the  Santanic  occupation  of  the  empire ;  it  will 
be  energized  by  Satan  himself.  This  awful  phase 
will  be  reached  in  the  middle  of  the  seven  years.  For 
three  years  and  a  half,  for  42  months  1260  days, 
the  "  time  of  the  end  "  Satan's  power  will  be  mani- 
fested in  this  revived  Roman  Empire.  In  the 
twelfth  chapter  of  Revelation  we  read  that  Satan 

absorbed  by  the  last.  It  is  noteworthy  that  the  order  is  re- 
versed. First  the  leopard  (the  Grecian  Empire)  then  the 
bear  (the  Medo-Persian)  then  the  lion  (the  Babylonian). 
Daniel  beheld  them  in  their  future  rise ;  John  looks  back  over 
their  existence.  The  revived  Roman  empire  will  combine  all 
that  which  has  been  during  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  in  one 
great  monster. 

The  seven  heads  of  the  beast  and  other  features  brought 
out  in  the  Book  of  Revelation  we  do  not  enter  into  for  it 
would  necessitate  a  closer  analysis  of  the  entire  third  part 
of  the  Book  of  Revelation. 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  85 

will  be  cast  out  of  heaven  and  at  once  in  the  thir- 
teenth we  see  a  manifestation  of  his  power  on  the 
earth.  The  casting  out  of  Satan  takes  place  in  the 
middle  of  the  seven  years  and  then  it  is  when  satanic 
power  will  be  manifested  in  the  revived  empire. 
It  will  center  in  a  person  and  that  person  is  identi- 
cal with  the  "  little  horn  "  Daniel  saw  coming  up 
between  the  ten  horns.  After  the  Roman  Empire 
has  been  reconstituted  and  divided  into  ten  king- 
doms, a  person  will  come  upon  the  scene  who  will 
be  the  head,  and  that  head  will  be  endued  with 
supernatural,  satanic  power,  so  that  all  the  world 
will  wonder  after  this  beast.  The  head  will  be  an 
emperor.  One  of  the  heads  was  healed  of  the 
deadly  wound.  This  no  doubt  has  reference  to 
the  imperial  power,  a  form  of  government  in  the 
Roman  Empire,  which  ceased,  but  which  will  come 
out  of  death,  so  to  speak.  We  only  need  to  com- 
pare what  is  said  to  Daniel  in  the  divine  interpreta- 
tion and  what  John  saw  to  find  that  the  little  horn 
and  the  beast  out  of  the  sea  have  the  same 
characteristics. 

Daniel  Revelation 

Daniel     saw     the     fourth  John  beholds   a  beast  out 

beast,    a    great    nondescript,  of   the   sea,   with   ten   horns 

with  ten  horns.  crowned    (ten     kings)     and 

The  little  horn  "had  eyes  seven  heads, 

and  a  mouth  that  spake  very  To  the  beast  "was   given 

great  things."  a      mouth      speaking     great 

The  little  horn :  "  He  shall  thing  and  blasphemies." 

speak     words     against     the  The  beast :  "  He  opened  his 

Most  High."  mouth  in  blasphemy  against 

The  little  horn:  "He  shall  God." 


86  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

wear  out  the  Saints  of  the  The  Beast:  "And  it  was 
Most  High."  given  to  him  to  make  war 
The  little  horn's  time  of  with  the  Saints  and  to  over- 
domineering  power  is  "a  come  them." 
time  and  times  and  dividing  The  Beast  has  power  for 
of  times."  42  month  (35^  years). 

We  see  from  this  parallel  that  the  same  things 
are  said  of  the  beast  in  Revelation  xiii  which  are 
said  of  the  little  horn.  They  must  therefore  be 
identical.  But  how  can  we  harmonize  this  if  Reve- 
lation xiii,  the  beast  out  of  the  sea,  means  the 
resurrected  Roman  Empire?  There  lived  a  French 
King,  Louis  XIV,  and  in  a  famous  speech  he  made 
the  declaration  "  I  am  France."  The  little  horn  will 
possess  such  domineering  powers,  given  to  him  by- 
Satan,  that  he  too  can  say  "  I  am  the  Empire."  He 
;will  control  the  entire  political  sphere  of  the  em- 
pire and  that  gives  to  it  his  own  Satanic  God-defy- 
ing character.  In  Daniel  we  see  the  same  lesson, 
only  in  another  setting.  The  empire  will,  fall  in 
judgment  on  account  of  the  little  horn. 

The  Three  Great  Actors  of  the  Time  of  the  End, 
This  little  horn,  the  head  of  the  revived  Roman 
Empire  is  frequently  called  the  Antichrist.  We 
shall  find  in  the  next  chapter  another  little  horn 
mentioned.  Some  teachers  of  the  Word  identify 
the  little  horn  in  chapter  viii  with  the  little  horn 
in  the  seventh  chapter  and  do  not  at  all  distinguish 
between  the  two.  In  other  parts  of  the  Word 
predictions  are  made  concerning  a  false  king,  a 
Wicked  One,  the  Man  of  Sin,  the  idol  shepherd, 
the  head  over  many  countries,  etc.     These  are  ofteti 


JHE   PROPHET   DANIEL  87 

classed  as  one  and  the  same  person  and  called  by 
one  name,  the  final  Antichrist.  But  this  only  works 
confusion  and  mixes  up  the  prophetic  Word  in  such 
a  way  that  its  meaning  becomes  beset  with  difficul- 
ties. The  Book  of  Daniel  speaks  of  three  great 
actors  of  the  time  of  the  end,  all  three  will  be  ener- 
gized by  Satan  and  endued  with  his  power. 

The  Head  of  the  Roman  Empire.  The  first  to 
come  upon  the  scene  will  be  the  little  horn  of 
Daniel's  vision,  the  beast  out  of  the  sea,  the  nations. 
He  will  be  a  Gentile.  That  he  is  Satan's  man  is 
seen  not  alone  in  this  book,  but  also  in  Revelation. 
He  acts  out  Satan's  part  and  takes  control  of  the 
political  affairs,  but  he  also  gives  attention  to  re- 
ligious things.  He  is  called  in  the  ninth  chapter  of 
Daniel  "  the  prince  that  shall  come.''  His  origin 
is  given  there  likewise  as  we  shall  find  when  we 
reach  the  chapter.  He  will  be  friendly  to  the  Jews 
who  have  returned  in  part  to  the  land,  but  his 
friendliness  is  only  assumed.  He  will  enter  into 
a  covenant  with  the  Jews.  This  covenant  he  will 
break  and  in  league  with  the  Antichrist  he  will 
institute  the  great  tribulation,  the  time  of  Jacob's 
trouble.  The  true  character  of  this  Roman  Head 
will  come  out  in  the  middle  of  the  week,  when 
Satan  actually  possesses  him.  In  the  beginning 
of  the  Nineteenth  Century  a  man  was  upon  the 
scene  who  was  friendly  towards  the  Jews  and  whose 
aim  was  a  united  empire  and  world  conquest, 
Napoleon  I.  Some  time  in  the  Twentieth  Century 
a  similar  political  leader  may  appear  and  assume 
the  rule  of  an  emperor,  President  of  the  world,  king 


88  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

of  all  the  kings  or  some  such  name.  He  will  come 
surely  in  the  garb  of  an  angel  of  light,  practising 
deception,  till  his  true  character  will  be  manifested. 
The  Perjonal  Antichrist.  Another  person  is  the 
personal  Antichrist.  The  little  horn  in  Daniel  vii 
anH  in  Daniel  viii  must  not  be  identified  with  this 
person.  The  Antichrist,  he  of  whom  we  read  in 
2  Thessal.  ii  is  mentioned  only  once  in  the  Book  of 
Daniel.    In  chapter  xi,  36,  etc.,  we  find  his  portrait.. 

And  the  king  shall  do  according  to  his  will;  and  he 
shall  exalt  himself,  and  magnify  himself  above  every 
god,  and  shall  speak  marvellous  things  against  the  God 
of  gods,  and  shall  prosper  till  the  indignation  be  accom- 
plished: for  that  that  is  determined  shall  be  done. 
Neither  shall  he  regard  the  God  of  his  fathers,  nor  the 
desire  of  women,  nor  regard  any  god:  for  he  shall 
magnify  himself  above  all. 

He  is  the  same  whose  coming  our  Lord  predicted 
in  John  v,  "  I  am  come  in  My  Father's  Name,  and 
ye  received  Me  not;  if  another  come  in  his  own 
name,  him  ye  will  receive."  He  comes  with  a  flat- 
tering tongue  and  the  Jews  will  receive  him  and 
hail  him  as  their  long  looked  for  deliverer.  He  will 
take  the  place  of  a  king  amongst  them.  Isaiah 
XXX,  33;  Ivii,  9;  Daniel  xi,  36.  He  is  seen  in  the 
thirteenth  chapter  of  Revelation  as  the  second  beast 
out  of  the  earth.  He  has  two  horns  like  a  lamb, 
but  speaks  like  the  dragon.  He  imitates  Christ. 
He  possesses  all  the  power  of  the  first  beast,  which 
is  Satanic  power.  He  has  power  to  work  wonders 
and  make  fire  to  fall  out  of  heaven  in  the  sight  of 
men.     Then  he  deceives  them  that  dwell  on  the 


[THE  prophet:  DANIEL  89 

earth  by  the  means  of  those  miracles.    It  is  a  ful- 
fillment of  2  Thessal.  ii,  9-12. 

Whose  coming  is  after  the  working  of  Satan  with  all 
power  and  signs  and  lying  wonders.  And  with  all  de- 
ceivableness  of  unrighteousness  in  them  that  perish; 
because  they  received  not  the  love  of  truth,  that  they 
might  be  saved.  And  for  this  cause  God  shall  send 
them  strong  delusion,  that  they  should  believe  a  lie: 
That  they  all  might  be  damned  who  believed  not  the 
truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness. 

His  sphere  will  extend  beyond  the  Jews  in  Pales- 
tine. He  will  be  the  accepted  false  Christ  of  the 
Jews  and  the  Antichrist  for  apostate  Christendom. 
He  will  demand  of  those  who  dwell  on  the  earth 
that  they  make  an  image  of  the  first  beast,  the  little 
horn  in  chapter  vii.  Then  he  gives  life  to  the  image 
that  it  should  speak.  All  who  refuse  to  worship 
are  killed.  In  Rev.  xvi,  13  and  xix,  20  he  is  called 
the  false  prophet,  because  he  is  a  religious  leader. 
The  Psalms  and  other  portions  of  the  Scriptures 
contain  references  to  this  second  one,  who  takes 
such  a  prominent  part  in  the  time  of  the  end. 

The  King  of  the  North.  The  third  person  is  the 
king  of  the  North.  He  is  the  little  horn  of  chapter 
viii  and  is  typified  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes.  Ac- 
cording to  Daniel  xi  he  emanates  from  the  North 
and  enters  into  the  glorious  land  where  he  shall 
find  a  miserable  end.  He  is  the  Assyrian  in  the 
prophets  Isaiah  and  Micah,  the  one  from  the  North 
in  Joel's  prophecy.  He  is  the  great  external  foe 
of  the  restored  Jewish  people. 

These  three  great  actors  during  the  time  of  the 


90  THE   PROPHET   DANIEU 

end  appear  in  the  prophecies  of  Daniel  and  if  the 
reader  does  not  distinguish  between  them  the 
prophecies  will  not  be  intelligible. 

The  Work  of  the  Little  Horn.  Having  ascer- 
tained who  is  represented  by  this  little  horn,  the 
head  and  leader  of  the  revived  Roman  Empire,  let 
us  see  what  his  satanic  work  will  be.  We  find 
exactly  five  things  mentioned: 

(1)  He  shall  subdue  three  kings.  He  will  do 
away  with  three  of  the  kingdoms,  so  that  seven 
are  left. 

(2)  He  shall  speak  great  words  against  the  most 
High.  He  is  a  wicked  one  blaspheming  God  and 
defying  His  Word.  He  will  suit  perfectly  apostate 
Christendom  with  its  higher  critics  and  sneering 
infidels,  who  deny  inspiration,  prophecy  and 
jniracles. 

(3)  He  makes  war  with  the  Saints  and  prevails 
against  them.  Under  his  regime  those  who  still 
hold  to  God  and  His  Word  will  suffer  great  perse- 
cution. 

(4)  He  shall  wear  out  the  Saints  of  the  most 
High.  The  Jewish  remnant  especially  .will  be  the 
object  of  his  satanic  hatred. 

(5)  He  thinks  of  changing  times  and  laws.  This 
3;vas  done  during  the  great  French  revolution.  It 
will  be  done  on  a  larger  scale  by  the  little  horn. 
He  will  overthrow  all  existing  order  and  laws, 
therefore  he  is  the  lawless  one.  The  times  and 
laws  will  be  given  into  his  hands,  not  the  Saints 
of  the  most  High,  as  some  expositors  have  stated. 

The  End  of  the  Little  Horn.  The  rule  of  this 
satanic   head  of  the  Roman   Empire  will  last  a 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  91 

time,  times  and  dividing  of  times,  that  is  one  year, 
two  years  and  a  half  a  year.  This  makes  exactly 
1260  days  or  42  months.  (See  Rev.  xi,  2-3  and  xii, 
6,  1.) 

At  the  end  of  that  time  the  Son  of  Man  appears, 
the  stone  falls. 

"  But  the  judgment  shall  sit,  and  they  shall  take 
away  his  dominion,  to  consume  and  to  destroy  it 
unto  the  end.  And  the  kingdom  and  dominion 
and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole 
heaven  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of 
the  most  High,  whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting 
kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall  serve  and  obey 
him."     (Verses  26-27) 

The  Kingdom  from  above  will  be  set  up  and  the 
Saints  of  the  most  High  receive  the  Kingdom  and 
the  kingdoms  of  this  earth  will  become  the  king- 
doms of  God  and  His  Christ.  Satan  had  his  throne 
on  the  earth  and  gave  that  throne  to  the  beast,  the 
little  horn.  The  little  horn  will  then  be  dethroned 
and  the  true  King  of  kings  enthroned  upon  the 
holy  hill  of  Zion. 

Deep  soul  exercise  followed  from  this  vision  for 
the  prophet.  His  thoughts  troubled  him  and  his 
countenance  was  changed.  No  doubt  prayer  and 
supplication  as  well  as  earnest  study  of  the  Word 
of  God  he  possessed  in  part  followed.  The  Lord 
grant  to  us  such  exercise  as  well,  especially  in  a 
day  when  we  stand  upon  the  threshhold  of  the 
fulfillment  of  these  visions.  But  before  the  beast 
can  rise,  before  the  little  horn  will  appear  on  the 
scene,  the  Lord  will  call  His  own  to  be  with  Him- 
self. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

The  Vision  of  the  Ram  and  He-Goat 

We  remind  the  reader  once  more  of  the  fact  that 
beginning  with  the  seventh  chapter  to  the  end  of  the 
Book  of  Daniel  the  language  employed  is  Hebrew. 
The  reason  for  this  change  has  been  stated  before. 
From  now  on  we  are  led  in  prophecy  mostly  upon 
Jewish  ground  and  events  are  revealed,  which 
will  take  place  at  the  close  of  the  times  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. These  events  will  be  enacted  in  the  holy 
land  and  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem.  The  phrases 
"the  latter  time  "—"  the  time  of  the  end  "— "  in 
the  last  end  of  the  indignation "  appear  several 
times  in  these  chapters.  They  describe  the  same 
period  of  time  we  found  in  the  seventh  chapter, 
"  a  time  and  times  and  dividing  of  time  "  that  is 
three  years  and  a  half,  the  prophetic  1260  days  or 
42  months  in  the  Book  of  Revelation,  It  is  the 
great  tribulation,  with  which  the  times  of  the  Gen- 
tiles close.  This  great  tribulation  is  the  time  of 
Jacob's  trouble  (Jerem.  xxx,  4).  Our  Lord  in 
Matthew  xxiv  in  that  part  of  the  Olivet  discourse, 
which  describes  the  end  of  the  age,  calls  attention 
to  the  Prophet  Daniel  and  immediately  after  He 
said  "  for  then  shall  be  great  tribulation  such  as 

92 


THE   PROPHET  DANIEL  93 

was  not  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this 
time,  no,  nor  ever  shall  be/'  Jerusalem  will  be  the 
great  storm  center  of  that  predicted  tribulation. 

The  prophecies  of  the  eighth  and  ninth  chapters 
have  found  a  partial  fulfillment  in  the  past.  But 
they  also  relate  to  the  time  of  the  end,  in  which  the 
final  fulfillment  will  be  accomplished.  The  awful 
invasion  of  the  land  of  Israel  and  wickedness  of 
Antiochus  Epiphanes  168  B.  C.  is  a  prophetic  type 
of  another  invasion  during  the  last  end  of  the  indig- 
nation. Then  once  more  another  King  of  the  North 
will  invade  the  land  and  lay  siege  to  Jerusalem. 

The  great  prophecy  contained  in  the  ix  chapter 
is  likewise  in  greater  part  fulfilled.  Only  the  last 
week  remains  unfulfilled.  This  last  week  of  seven 
years  includes  "  the  time  of  the  end."  It  will  help 
the  reader  to  link  chapters  vii  and  ix  together  and 
chapters  viii  and  xi.  In  chapters  vii  and  ix  the 
West,  that  is  the  Roman  Empire,  is  prominently 
in  the  foreground.  The  little  horn  in  chapter  vii 
corresponds  to  "the  prince  that  shall  come"  in 
chapter  ix.  In  chapters  viii  and  xi  we  are  in  the 
East,  and  the  little  horn  of  chapter  viii  and  the 
"  King  of  the  North  "  who  enters  the  glorious  land 
as  predicted  in  chapter  ^i  are  the  same  person.  If 
the  reader  holds  this  clearly  in  mind,  it  will  prove 
helpful  in  understanding  this  part  of  the  book. 

Daniel  viii-xii  should  be  divided  into  three  parts, 
for  it  contains  three  great  visions.  First,  the  vision 
of  the  Ram  and  the  He-goat.  Chapter  viii.  Second, 
the  vision  of  the  Seventy  weeks.  Chapter  ix. 
Third,  the  great  final  vision.    Chapters  x-xii. 


94  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

The  Time  of  the  Vision  of  the  Ram  and  He-Goat. 

The  vision  of  the  viii  chapter  was  given  to  the 
Prophet  in  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  the  grand- 
son of  Nebuchadnezzar,  Belshazzar.  It  was  the 
year  when  the  feast  of  blasphemy  was  held  and 
Babylon  fell.  Then  God  took  His  faithful  servant 
aside  and  revealed  to  him  new  things  concerning 
the  future.  The  Prophet  was  in  Babylon  when  he 
received  this  vision.  But  in  spirit,  in  the  vision  he 
was  transported  to  Shushan,  the  chief  city  of  Elam, 
which  became  one  of  the  capitals  of  the  Medo- 
Persian  empire.  This  city  is  also  mentioned  as 
the  home  of  faithful  Nehemiah  and  the  entire  story 
of  the  Book  of  Esther  happened  there.  In  spirit 
he  finds  himself  "  near  the  fortress "  (not  in  the 
palace)  by  the  river  of  Ulai. 

The  Vision  Itself.  The  vision  concerns  the 
second  and  third  empires.  These  were  represented 
in  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  image  by  the  chest  of 
silver  and  the  thighs  of  brass  and  in  Daniel's  vision 
by  the  bear  with  the  three  ribs  and  the  leopard 
with  the  four  wings  and  four  heads.  The  Medo- 
Persian  empire  and  the  Grecian  are  before  us  in 
the  vision.  The  Medo-Persian  appears  as  the  ram 
with  two  horns,  one  higher  than  the  other  and  the 
higher  one  came  last  (verse  3).  The  second  empire 
was  composed  of  two  powers  the  Medes  and  the 
Persian,  the  latter  arose  to  superiority  and  became 
the  domineering  element.  This  is  indicated  by  the 
one  horn  higher  than  the  other  and  corresponds  to 
the  bear  in  Daniel's  vision  with  one  side  lifted  up. 
Here  indeed  is  history  prewritten  for  all  was  re- 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  95 

vealed  when  the  Babylonian  empire  was  still  flour- 
ishing. No  wonder  higher  critics  and  kindred  in- 
fidels have  tried  their  very  best  to  break  down  the 
authenticity  of  this  book  and  have  invented  their 
clever  schemes  by  which  they  try  to  show  that  all 
was  written  after  the  Medo-Persian  empire  had 
come  into  existence.  Then  Daniel  beheld  the  rapid 
conquest  made  by  the  second  empire.  It  pushed 
itself  in  three  directions,  westward,  northward,  and 
southward.  In  Daniel's  vision  the  bear  had  three 
ribs  in  its  mouth.    Thus  all  corresponds. 

All  at  once  a  he-goat  came  rushing  from  the 
west.  Its  speed  was  so  great  that  it  did  not  touch 
the  ground  and  the  he-goat  had  a  notable  horn. 
This  he-goat  in  its  swift  advance  is  the  leopard 
empire  with  the  four  wings  as  Daniel  saw  it,  the 
Grecian  world  power.  The  notable  horn  is  none 
other  than  its  King,  Alexander  the  Great.  Then 
follows  a  deadly  conflict.  The  he-goat  rushes 
into  the  ram.  The  result  was  disastrous  for  the 
ram,  the  Medo-Persian  empire. 

And  I  saw  him  come  close  unto  the  ram,  and  he  was 
moved  with  choler  against  him,  and  smote  the  ram,  and 
brake  his  two  horns;  and  there  was  no  power  in  the 
ram  to  stand  before  him,  but  he  cast  him  down  to  the 
ground,  and  stamped  upon  him:  and  there  was  none 
that  could  deliver  the  ram  out  of  his  hand  (verse  7). 

334  B.  C.  the  notable  horn,  Alexander,  in  goat- 
like fashion,  leaped  across  the  Hellespont  and 
fought  successful  battles,  then  pushed  on  to  the 
banks  of  the  Indus  and  the  Nile  and  from  there 
to  Shushan.     The  great  battles  of  the   Granicus 


96  THE   PROPHET  DANIEL 

(334  B.  C),  Issus  (333  B.  C),  and  Arbella  (331 
B.  C.)  were  fought  and  with  irresistible  force  he 
stamped  the  power  of  Persia  and  its  King,  Darius 
Codomannus,  to  the  ground.  He  conquered  rapidly 
Syria,  Phoenicia,  Cyprus,  Pyre,  Gaza,  Egypt,  Baby- 
lonia, Persia.  In  329  he  conquered  Bactria,  crossed 
the  Oxus  and  Jaxaitis  and  defeated  the  Scythians. 
And  thus  he  stamped  upon  the  ram  after  having 
broken  its  horns.  But  when  the  he-goat  had  waxed 
very  great,  the  great  horn  was  broken.  This  pre- 
dicted the  early  and  sudden  death  of  Alexander  the 
Great.  He  died  after  a  reign  of  12  years  and  eight 
months,  after  a  career  of  drunkenness  and  de- 
bauchery in  323  B.  C.  He  died  when  he  was  but 
32  years  old.  Then  four  notable  ones  sprung  up  in 
the  place  of  the  broken  horn.  This  too  has  been 
fulfilled,  for  the  empire  of  Alexander  was  divided 
into  four  parts.  Four  of  the  great  generals  of 
Alexander  made  the  division  namely,  Cassander, 
Lysimachus,  Seleucus  and  Ptolemy.  The  four 
great  divisions  were,  Syria,  Egypt,  Macedonia,  and 
Asia  Minor. 

The  Little  Horn.  Out  of  one  of  these  divisions 
Daniel  beheld  a  little  horn  coming  up.  It  sprung 
out  of  Syria.  This  little  horn  which  now  comes 
into  prominence  pressed  down  upon  "  the  pleasant 
land,"  which  is  Palestine  and  its  fearful  action  there 
and  in  Jerusalem  are  described.  Let  us  see  what 
it  says. 

And  out  of  one  of  them  came  forth  a  little  horn, 
which  waxed  exceeding  great,  toward  the  south,  and 
toward  the  east,  and  toward  the  pleasant  land.    And 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  97 

it  waxed  great,  even  to  the  host  of  heaven ;  and  it  cast 
down  some  of  the  host  and  of  the  stars  to  the  ground, 
and  stamped  upon  them.  Yea,  he  magnified  himself 
even  to  the  prince  of  the  host,  and  by  him  the  daily 
sacrifice  was  taken  away,  and  the  place  of  his  sanctuary 
was  cast  down.  And  an  host  was  given  him  against  the 
daily  sacrifice  by  reason  of  transgression,  and  it  cast 
down  the  truth  to  the  ground;  and  it  practised,  and 
prospered  (verses  9-12). 

History  does  not  leave  us  in  doubt  about  the 
identity  of  this  wicked  king.  He  is  the  eighth  king 
of  the  Seleucid  dynasty,  who  took  the  Syrian  throne 
and  is  known  by  the  name  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes 
and  bore  also  the  name  of  Epimanes,  i.  e.,  "  the  Mad- 
man." He  was  the  tyrant  and  oppressor  of  the 
Jews.  His  wicked  deeds  of  oppression,  blasphemy 
and  sacrilege  are  fully  described  in  the  book  of  the 
Maccabees.  Long  before  he  ever  appeared  Daniel 
saw  him  and  his  wicked  work  in  his  vision.  The 
host  of  heaven  towards  whom  this  little  horn  waxed 
great  and  the  stars  which  he  cast  to  the  ground  and 
stamped  upon  them,  are  symbols  of  the  people 
Israel  and  those  who  held  positions  of  authority 
and  responsibility  among  the  Jews  such  as  the 
princes,  the  priests,  and  rabbis. 

But  he  was  to  do  more  than  that.  His  action 
agamst  the  sanctuary  of  the  Lord  is  also  propheti- 
cally pictured.  A  mistranslation  must  here  be  cor- 
rected.  He  magnified  himself  to,  or  rather  against 
the  prince  of  the  host  that  of  course  is  the  Lord 
but  not  "by  him,"  that  is  Antiochus,  the  daily 
sacrifice  was  taken  away,  but  "  from  him,"  that  is 
from  the  prince  of  the  host,  the  daily  sacrifice  was 


98  THE   PROPHET.   DANIEL 

taken  away  and  the  place  of  his  sanctuary  was  cast 
down.  And  it,  the  little  horn,  cast  down  the  truth 
to  the  ground;  and  it  practised  and  prospered. 

And  all  this  has  been  fulfilled  in  Antiochus 
Epiphanes.  When  he  had  conquered  Jerusalem 
he  sacrificed  a  sow  upon  the  altar  of  burnt  offer- 
ings and  sprinkled  its  broth  over  the  entire  build- 
ing. He  corrupted  the  youths  of  Jerusalem  by 
introducing  lewd  practices ;  the  feast  of  tabernacles 
he  changed  into  the  feast  of  Bacchus.  He  auc- 
tioned off  the  highpriesthood.  All  kinds  of  infamies 
were  perpetrated  by  him  and  the  most  awful  ob- 
scenity permitted  and  encouraged.  All  true  wor- 
ship was  forbidden  and  idol  worship  introduced 
especially  that  of  Jupiter  Olympus.  The  whole 
city  and  land  was  devastated  and  some  100,000 
pious  Jews  massacred.  Such  has  been  the  remark- 
able fulfillment  of  this  prophecy.  In  chapter  xi 
his  doings  are  once  more  revealed. 

An  Angelic  Conversation 

Then  I  heard  one  saint  speaking,  and  another  saint 
said  unto  that  certain  saint  which  spake,  How  long 
shall  be  the  vision  concerning  the  daily  sacrifice,  and 
the  transgression  of  desolation,  to  give  both  the  sanc- 
tuary and  the  host  to  be  trodden  under  foot?  And  he 
said  unto  me.  Unto  two  thousand  and  three  hundred 
days;  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed  (verses 
13-14). 

The  word  "  Saint "  means  "  a  Holy  One."  We 
have  here  an  angelic  conversation.  The  certain 
Holy  One  or  angel  is  called  "  Palmoni "  which 


THE   PROPHEIj   DANIEL  99 

means  *'  the  wonderful  numberer."*  We  are  given 
another  glimpse  of  the  occupation  of  angels.  The 
book  of  Daniel  tells  us  much  of  these  great  and 
wonderful  beings  and  their  service.  In  the  fourth 
chapter  we  found  them  to  be  the  holy  watchers, 
the  sleepless  sentinels  of  heaven,  as  one  has  called 
them,  who  take  a  deep  interest  in  all  the  affairs  of 
the  earth.  Here  we  hear  them  conversing  about 
the  awful  horrors  committed  by  the  little  horn. 
The  rationalistic  critics  have  charged  the  writer 
of  the  book  of  Daniel  of  having  derived  his  belief 
in  angels  from  Zoroastrianism.  Such  an  assertion 
is  too  weak  for  any  refutation.  Daniel  overhears 
their  conversation,  2300  days  (lit:  evenings  morn- 
ings) shall  the  affliction  last  and  then  shall  the 
sanctuary  be  cleansed.  These  2300  days  cover  about 
the  period  of  time  during  which  Antiochus  Epiph- 
anes  did  his  wicked  deeds.  The  chronology  of 
these  2300  days  is  interesting.  Judas  Maccabaeus 
cleansed  (lit.  justified)  the  sanctuary  from  the 
abomination  about  December  25th,  165  B.  C.  An- 
tiochus died  a  miserable  death  two  years  later. 
Going  back  2300  days  from  the  time  Judas  the 
Maccabee  cleansed  the  defiled  temple  brings  us  to 
171  B.  C.  when  we  find  the  record  of  Antiochus' 

*For  several  years  a  set  of  books  has  been  advertised  in 
England  written  by  a  Captain  Crossley.  They  are  called  "  a 
great  revelation  "  and  reference  is  made  to  the  passage  before 
us,  as  if  he  had  discovered  the  secret  of  numbering.  These 
books  are  confusion  worse  confounded.  Much  of  it  instead 
of  being  revelation  is  hallucination  of  the  worst  kind.  Be- 
ware of  such  foolish  attempts  to  solve  divine  mysteries. 


100  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

interference  with  the  Jews.  Menelaus  had  bribed 
Antiochus  to  make  him  highpriest,  robbed  the  tem- 
ple and  instituted  the  murder  of  the  highpriest 
Onias  HI.  The  most  wicked  deeds  in  the  defilement 
of  the  temple  were  perpetrated  by  the  leading  gen- 
eral of  Antiochus,  Apollonius,  in  the  year  168  B.  C. 
We  believe  these  2300  days  are  therefore  literal 
days  and  have  found  their  literal  fulfillment  in  the 
dreadful  days  of  this  wicked  king  from  the  North. 
There  is  no  other  meaning  attached  to  these  days 
and  the  foolish  speculations  that  these  days  are 
years,  etc.,  lacks  scriptural  foundation  altogether. 
Such  views  and  fanciful  interpretations  bring  the 
study  of  Prophecy  in  disrepute.  We  have  special 
reference  to  the  Seventh  Day  Adventist  delusion. 
They  teach  the  abominable  untruth  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  did  not  enter  into  the  Holiest  till  the 
year  1844  had  been  reached,  because  this  is  accord- 
ing to  their  reckoning  2300  years  after  Cyrus  had 
issued  the  command  to  build  the  temple.  That 
this  is  a  denial  of  the  Gospel  itself  and  satanic  is 
self  evident. 

The  Two  Horns  not  Identical.  Before  we  follow; 
the  divinely  given  interpretation,  given  in  answer 
to  Daniel's  request,  we  call  attention  once  more 
to  the  fact  that  the  two  little  horns  in  chapters  vii 
and  viii  are  not  identical.  Even  some  good  exposi- 
tors and  Bible  teachers  have  made  the  mistake  in 
teaching  that  they  are  one  and  the  same  person. 
How  can  they  be?  The  little  horn  in  chapter  vii 
springs  from  the  Roman  Empire  when  it  is  in 
existence  in  its  final  form.    As  we  have  seen  this 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL)  loi 

horn  represents  the  great  head  of  the  revived 
Roman  Empire,  who  will  assume  the  role  of  an 
emperor  over  the  nation  and  who  will  work  in 
conjunction  with  the  personal  Antichrist,  the  false 
king  and  false  Messiah.  The  little  horn  in  chapter 
viii  springs  not  from  the  western  empire  at  all,  but 
from  a  division  of  the  eastern,  the  Grecian  Empire. 
The  little  horn  in  chapter  vii  is  the  political  leader 
of  the  nations  and  hater  of  the  Jews,  but  the  little 
horn  in  chapter  viii  comes  exclusively  from  the 
North  against  the  pleasant  land.  His  chief  work  is 
the  invasion  of  Israel's  land  as  oppressor  of  the 
Jews.  Whom  the  little  horn  represents  in  our 
chapter  we  shall  now  learn  from  the  interpretation. 

The  Interpretation  Sent  Through  Gabriel 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  I,  even  I  Daniel,  had  seen 
the  vision,  and  sought  for  the  meaning,  then,  behold, 
there  stood  before  me  one  as  the  appearance  of  a  man. 
And  I  heard  a  man's  voice  between  the  banks  of  Ulai, 
which  called,  and  said,  Gabriel,  make  this  man  to  under- 
stand the  vision.  So  he  came  near  where  I  stood ;  and 
when  he  came,  I  was  afraid,  and  fell  upon  my  face;  but 
he  said  unto  me,  Understand,  O  son  of  man;  for  at 
the  time  of  the  end  shall  be  the  vision.  Now  as  he 
was  speaking  with  me,  I  was  in  a  deep  sleep  on  my  face 
toward  the  ground ;  but  he  touched  me,  and  set  me  up- 
right. And  he  said.  Behold,  I  will  make  thee  know 
what  shall  be  in  the  last  end  of  the  indignation :  for  at 
the  time  appointed  the  end  shall  be.  The  ram  which 
thou  sawest  having  two  horns  are  the  kings  of  Media 
and  Persia.  And  the  rough  goat  is  the  king  of  Grecia; 
and  the  great  horn  that  is  between  his  eyes  is  the  first 
king.  Now  that  being  broken,  whereas  four  stood  up 
for  it,  four  kingdoms  shall  stand  up  out  of  the  nation. 


102  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

but  not  in  his  power.  And  in  the  latter  time  of  their 
kingdom,  when  the  transgressors  are  come  to  the  full, 
a  king  of  fierce  countenance,  and  understanding  dark 
sentences,  shall  stand  up.  And  his  power  shall  be 
mighty,  but  not  by  his  own  power :  and  he  shall  destroy 
wonderfully,  and  shall  prosper,  and  practise,  and  shall 
destroy  the  mighty  and  the  holy  people.  And  through 
his  policy  also  he  shall  cause  craft  to  prosper  in  his 
hand;  and  he  shall  magnify  himself  in  his  heart,  and 
by  peace  shall  destroy  many:  he  shall  also  stand  up 
against  the  Prince  of  princes;  but  he  shall  be  broken 
without  hand.  And  the  vision  of  the  evening  and  the 
morning  which  was  told  is  true :  wherefore  shut  thou 
up  the  vision;  for  it  shall  be  for  many  days.  And 
I  Daniel  fainted,  and  was  sick  certain  days;  afterward 
I  rose  up,  and  did  the  king's  business;  and  I  was 
astonished  at  the  vision,  but  none  understood  it  (verses 
15-27). 

Gabriel  is  seen  here  for  the  first  time  in  this 
Book.  He  appeared  in  the  form  of  a  man  and  a 
man's  voice  commands  Gabriel  to  *'  make  this  man 
to  understand  the  vision."  We  pass  over  the  in- 
terpretation of  the  vision  of  the  ram  and  he-goat, 
which  has  been  already  given  and  devote  our  atten- 
tion to  the  five  last  verses  of  this  chapter. 

Gabriel  told  Daniel  that  the  vision  has  a  special 
meaning  for  the  time  of  the  end.  Four  different 
expressions  are  used  to  denote  the  time  of  the 
final  fulfillment  of  the  vision.  (1)  "The  time  of 
the  end  "  viii,  17.  (2)  "  The  last  end  of  the  indig- 
nation "  viii,  19.  (3)  "The  latter  time  of  their 
kingdom  "  viii,  23.  (4)  "  When  the  transgressors 
are  come  to  the  full."  Verse  23. 

From  these  terms  v^^e  learn  then  definitely  that 


JHE   prophet;   DANIEL  103 

when  the  period  of  time  comes,  elsewhere  called 
"  the  great  tribulation,"  the  time  of  the  end,  the 
last  end  of  the  indignation,  a  king  of  fierce  counten- 
ance will  stand  up  once  more  and  do  the  wicked 
deeds  mentioned  here  and  he  shall  be  broken  with- 
out hand. 

First  of  all  we  desire  to  emphasize  that  all  that 
is  written  here  concerns  the  Jewish  people  and  their 
land.  To  read  the  church  into  all  this,  as  it  is  so 
often  done,  produces  confusion.  The  church  was  not 
revealed  to  Daniel.  Nor  did  he  behold  in  these  vi- 
sions the  present  Christian  age  nor  does  he  know 
anything  of  the  great  purpose,  which  God  carries 
out  since  the  rejection  of  the  Messiah  by  His  own 
people.    All  this  is  unrevealed  in  this  book. 

Daniel  beheld  first  in  his  great  visions  in  the  sev- 
enth chapter  the  political  history  of  the  times  of  the 
Gentiles,  how  they  will  end  in  judgment,  followed 
by  the  establishment  of  the  Kingdom  of  the  Son  of 
Man  on  this  earth.  Then  in  our  present  chapter, 
after  the  history  of  the  Persian  and  Grecian  em- 
pires and  their  fate  were  historically  predicted,  the 
great  hater  and  persecutor  of  the  Jews,  Antiochus 
Epiphanes  is  announced.  He  came,  as  already 
stated,  several  hundred  years  later  and  acted  his 
part.  After  this  we  are  carried  at  once  to  the  last 
stage  of  the  history  of  the  Jewish  people,  a  time, 
which  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  say,  has  not  yet  been 
reached. 

Significant  are  two  phrases  used  to  describe  that 
time. 

The  Last  End  of  the  Indignation.     The  first  is 


I04  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

contained  in  verse  19.  "  Behold  I  will  make  thee 
know  what  shall  be  in  the  last  end  of  the  indigna- 
tion; for  at  the  time  appointed  the  end  shall  be." 
The  last  sentence  is  better  rendered  by  *'  it  belongeth 
to  the  appointed  time  of  the  end."  The  indignation, 
which  is  here  mentioned  in  its  final  form,  is  repeat- 
edly spoken  of  in  the  Old  Testament.  It  will  help 
us  much  if  we  consider  some  of  the  passages  in 
which  this  indignation  is  predicted.  It  is  God's 
indignation  against  His  earthly  people  and  their 
land  on  account  of  their  disobedience  and  apostasy. 
We  turn  first  to  the  tenth  chapter  in  the  Book  of 
Isaiah.  The  great  Assyrian  invasion  under  Senna- 
cherib is  the  subject  of  this  chapter.  The  Assyrian 
enemy  was  permitted  to  come  into  the  land 
because  His  people  had  sinned  and  departed 
from  God.  In  the  5th  verse  this  Assyrian 
is  addressed.  "  O  Assyrian,  the  rod  of  mine 
anger,  and  the  staff  in  whose  hand  is  mine  indig- 
nation. I  will  send  him  against  an  hypocritical 
nation,  and  against  the  people  of  my  wrath  will  I 
give  him  a  charge,  to  take  the  spoil  and  take  the 
prey  and  to  tread  them  down  like  the  mire  of  the 
street."  God  used  the  Assyrian  as  an  instrumerv;t 
to  carry  out  His  indignation.  Then  elsewhere  in 
the  same  chapter  the  promise  is  given  to  the  faith- 
ful people  in  Israel  who  were  terrified  by  that 
invasion  "  for  yet  a  very  little  while  and  the  in- 
dignation shall  cease,  and  mine  anger  in  their  de- 
struction "  (verse  25).  We  shall  ask  the  attention 
of  the  reader  to  this  passage  again  in  the  course 
of  the  exposition.    In  chapter  xiii,  5  invading  forces 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  105 

are  again  called  "  the  weapons  of  His  indignation 
to  destroy  the  whole  land." 

In  Isaiah  xxvi,  20  there  is  a  significant  exhorta- 
tion. Isaiah  xxiv-xxvii  have  rightly  been  called 
"  Isaiah's  little  Apocalypse."  These  chapters  pre- 
dict the  great  judgments  and  upheavals  of  the  day 
of  Jehovah.  The  pious  in  Israel  are  addressed  in 
the  above  passage  "  Come,  my  people,  enter  thou 
into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee; 
hide  thyself  as  if  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until 
the  indignation  be  overpast."  According  to  this 
there  is  to  be  an  indignation  to  come  for  that  land. 
The  indignation  is  also  mentioned  in  Isaiah  xxx, 
30-31 ;  here  too  in  connection  with  the  Assyrian. 
The  judgment  which  came  upon  Israel  through 
Babylon  is  termed  "  the  indignation "  (Jeremiah 
1,  25).  And  in  Zechariah  i,  12  we  hear  the  inter- 
ceding angel  of  Jehovah  using  the  same  word  about 
the  Babylonian  captivity.  "  O  Lord  of  hosts,  how 
long  wilt  Thou  not  have  mercy  on  Jerusalem  and 
the  cities  of  Judah,  against  which  Thou  hast  had 
indignation,  these  three  score  and  ten  years."  God 
announces  indignation  upon  His  people  through 
Ezekiel  likewise.  "  And  I  will  pour  out  mine  in- 
dignation upon  thee"  (Ezek.  xxi,  31). 

We  find  it  used  in  the  Ixix  Psalm.  This 
Psalm  is  a  messianic  Psalm  and  we  read  in  the  first 
part  of  it  the  sufferings  of  Christ.  The  nation  re- 
jected Him  whom  God  sent  in  their  midst  and  He 
had  to  say  "  I  looked  for  some  to  take  pity,  but 
there  was  none;  and  for  comforters,  but  I  found 
none."    Then    follows    an    announcement    of    the 


I06  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

jucfgment  which  was  to  come  upon  the  nation. 
"Let  their  table  become  a  snare  before  them  and 
a  trap.  Let  their  eyes  be  darkened  that  they  see 
not;  and  make  their  loins  continually  to  shake." 
Romans  xi.  quotes  these  words  in  teaching  the 
setting  aside  of  the  nation  and  the  judgment  which 
rests  upon  them  during  the  present  age.  Then  fol- 
lows this  word  in  the  Sixty-ninth  Psalm,  "Pour  out 
thine  indignation  upon  them,  and  let  thy  wrathful 
anger  take  hold  of  them"  (verse  24).  After  they 
rejected  Christ  indignation  was  to  be  poured  out 
upon  them.  Even  so  it  has  been.  They  have  been 
scattered  over  the  face  of  the  earth;  their  history 
has  been  one  of  sorrow  and  tears.  The  Jewish 
people  are  in  the  days  of  the  indignation  on  account 
of  their  disobedience.  But  this  indignation  will 
end.  There  will  be  according  to  our  chapter  "the 
last  end  of  the  indignation."  And  that  last  end  will 
bring  great  calamities  upon  the  people  and  the  land 
and  one  person,  the  king  of  fierce  countenance,  will 
be  the  chief  actor  in  it.  Who  he  is  we  shall  dis- 
cover later. 

When  the  Transgressors  are  Come  to  the  Full. 
"When  the  transgressors  are  come  to  the  full" 
(verse  23)  is  another  significant  term  used  to  de- 
note the  time  when  this  prophecy  is  to  be  fulfilled. 
It  has  been  applied  to  the  time  when  there  is  uni- 
versal apostasy  in  the  earth.  That  the  Scriptures 
predict  the  complete  apostasy  for  the  end  of  the 
age  is  very  true.  However  this  is  not  in  view  here. 
The  transgressors  are  the  apostates  among  the 
Jewish    people.      This    people,    according    to    the 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  107 

prophetic  Word,  are  getting  further  away  from  God 
and  their  transgressions  become  full.  Their  latter 
end  will  be  worse  than  their  former  state.  The 
Lord  predicted  this.  (Matthew  xii.  43-45.)  He 
also  said  "I  am  come  in  my  Father's  name,  and  ye 
receive  Me  not;  if  another  shall  come  in  His  name, 
him  ye  will  receive."  (John  v.  43.)  A  false  Christ, 
the  false  King  will  appear  some  day  in  their  midst 
and  the  great  mass  of  the  people  will  receive  the 
devil's  counterfeit.  When  this  great  end  apostasy 
of  the  Jewish  people  is  reached,  when  they  are 
once  more  back  in  their  land  by  their  own  schem- 
ing, their  money  and  political  influence,  then  the 
time  before  us  will  have  come.  That  the  Jewish 
people  are  approaching  such  a  time  "when  the 
transgressors  are  come  to  the  full"  is  very  evident 
at  this  time.  The  great  majority  are  casting  the 
faith  of  their  fathers  to  the  winds  and  in  arrogant 
pride  they  lift  themselves  up.  What  other  evils 
are  found  among  them  needs  not  to  be  mentioned 
here. 

Who  is  the  King  with,  the  Fierce  Countenance? 
And  now  we  must  look  at  the  personality  of  this 
king  as  described  in  verses  23-25.  He  is  to  arise 
out  of  their  kingdom,  that  is  the  kingdoms  into 
which  the  Grecian  empire  divided  and  the  deeds  of 
this  king  with  the  fierce  countenance  are  described. 
The  last  act  reported  of  him  is,  that  he  shall  stand 
up  against  the  Prince  of  princes  and  when  he  has 
reached  this  climax  in  his  career,  then  "he  shall 
be  broken  without  hands." 

This  King  is  not  identical  with  the  Antichrist  as 


io8  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

it  is  so  often  taught,  nor  can  Antiochus  Epiphanes 
be  meant,  for  this  King  with  the  fierce  countenance 
is  to  appear  during  "the  last  end  of  the  indigna- 
tion." Antiochus  is  the  type  in  some  measure  of 
this  coming  King,  the  destroyer  of  the  people. 
Those  who  identify  this  King  with  the  fierce 
countenance  with  the  Antichrist  lay  much  stress 
on  the  fact  that  Antiochus  defiled  the  temple  and 
that  Antichrist  will  do  this  very  thing.  But  they 
overlook  the  fact  that  while  Antiochus  defiled  the 
temple  as  predicted  in  the  verses  9-12,  no  such  state- 
ment is  made  conqerning  the  King  who  is  de- 
scribed in  verses  23-25. 

The  King  who  is  to  appear  as  the  great  oppres- 
sor of  the  Jewish  people  is  the  same  person,  who  is 
designated  in  other  parts  of  the  prophetic  Word 
as  "the  Assyrian"  the  King  of  the  North.  We 
find  this  wicked  persecutor  and  his  work  described 
in  the  books  of  Isaiah,  Micah,  Joel  and  in  the 
Psalms.  God  used  the  Assyrian  invader  in  the  past 
to  punish  His  disobedient  people.  But  another 
Assyrian  is  to  appear  in  "the  time  of  the  end"  and 
do  the  pernicious  work  of  destroying  the  people,  tak- 
ing Jerusalem  and  practice  all  the  vile  things  written 
of  him.  He  will  come  like  a  whirlwind  from  his 
northern  dominion  into  Israel's  land,  just  as  Antio- 
chus Epiphanes  entered  the  pleasant  land.  This 
invasion  will  take  place  after  the  Jewish  people 
have  gained  once  more  a  foothold  in  their  land  and 
the  hopes  of  present  day  Zionism  have  been  real- 
ized. Their  restoration  and  reoccupation  of  the 
land  will  be  effected  by  the  power  of  the  little  horn 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  109 

of  Daniel  vii.  That  coming  prince  will  make  a 
covenant  with  them,  as  we  shall  learn  from  the 
ninth  chapter  of  Daniel,  and  the  restored  Jews  will 
trust  themselves  in  his  hands  for  protection. 
When  this  is  accomplished  then  this  King  with  the 
fierce  countenance,  the  Assyrian,  King  of  the  North, 
makes  his  appearance  and  rushes  against  the  people 
and  their  cities.  He  is  the  enemy  of  the  Head  of 
the  restored  Roman  Empire  and  as  the  hater  of 
Judah,  he  persecutes  the  nation,  while  the  beast,  the 
little  horn  of  Daniel  vii.  persecutes  the  Saints.  The 
head  of  the  revived  Roman  Empire  and  the  Anti- 
christ (the  first  and  the  second  beast  of  Rev.  xiii.) 
are  in  league  together,  but  the  Assyrian,  this  King 
pictured  in  the  closing  verses  of  Daniel  viii.,  opposes 
their  plans.  We  may  gain  further  light  by  briefly 
pointing  to  a  few  other  prophecies  which  speak  of 
this  same  person  and  his  destructive  work  as  well  as 
his  end. 

The  Assyrian  in  Isaiah.  In  the  prophet  Isaiah 
we  read  much  about  the  Assyrian  the  enemy  whom 
Isaiah  predicted  was  to  come  into  the  land  in  the 
immediate  future,  and  who  is  there  likewise  de- 
scribed as  the  great  foe  of  the  Jews  in  the  last  days, 
He  is  announced  in  chapter  viii.  7-^. 

Now  therefore,  behold,  the  Lord  bringeth  up  upon 
them  the  waters  of  the  river,  strong  and  many,  even 
the  king  of  Assyria,  and  all  his  glory;  and  he  shall 
come  tip  over  all  his  channels,  and  go  over  all  his  banks. 
And  he  shall  pass  through  Judah;  he  shall  overflow 
and  go  over;  he  shall  reach  even  to  the  neck;  and  the 
stretching  out  of  his  wings  shall  fill  the  breadth  of  thy 
land,  O  Immanuel. 


no  THE  PROPHET  DANIEU 

This  is  one  of  the  first  predictions  that  this 
powerful  enemy  was  to  come  into  Immanuel's  land, 
but  a  great  real  more  is  said  of  him  in  Isaiah  x.  5-34. 
We  would  suggest  to  the  reader  a  very  close  read- 
ing and  prayerful  study  of  this  very  interesting 
chapter.  That  this  prophecy  goes  beyond  the  days 
of  Isaiah  and  predicts  more  than  the  coming  of 
Sennacherib  against  Jerusalem  is  easily  discovered. 
Notice  especially  what  has  been  mentioned  before, 
the  statement  made  that  the  indignation  is  to  cease, 
when  this  Assyrian  lifts  up  his  staff  against  His 
people  after  the  manner  of  Egypt  (verses  24-25). 
Now  the  indignations  is  God's  displeasure  with  His 
earthly  people.  His  judgment  which  rests  upon 
them.  Up  to  now  the  indignation  has  not  yet  ceased 
and  there  is  yet  to  be,  as  we  learned  from  verse  19 
in  Daniel  viii.,  "the  last  end  of  the  indignation." 
That  end  of  the  indignation  will  mean  the  deliver- 
ance of  the  Jews  and  complete  overthrow  of  the 
last  Assyrian.  This  is  even  more  clearly  taught 
in  verse  12  of  Isaiah  x. 

Wherefore,  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that,  when  the  Lor5 
•hath  performed  his  whole  work  upon  mount  Zion  and 
on  Jerusalem,  I  will  punish  the  fruit  of  the  stout  heart 
of  the  king  of  Assyria,  and  the  glory  of  his  high  looks. 

The  whole  work  which  the  Lord  performs  is  His 
punitive  work  upon  Jerusalem.  When  that  is  com- 
pleted, the  King  of  Assyria  will  be  punished.  But 
that  necessitates  that  such  a  powerful  enemy  like 
the  Assyrian  must  trouble  the  Jews  then.  This 
portion  in  the  Prophet  Isaiah  begins  with  a  state- 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  iii 

ment  which  defines  the  purpose  of  the  invasion  of 
the  Assyrian,  both  the  first  Assyrian  and  the  final 
one  at  the  time  of  the  end. 

O  Assyrian,  the  rod  of  mine  anger,  and  the  staff  in 
whose  hand,  is  mine  indignation.  I  will  send  him 
against  an  hypocritical  nation,  and  against  the  people 
of  my  wrath  will  I  give  him  a  charge,  to  take  the  spoil, 
and  to  take  the  prey,  and  to  tread  them  down  like  the 
mire  of  the  streets  (verses  5-6). 

God  uses  him  to  execute  His  indignation  against 
His  people.  He  comes  into  Israel's  land  as  the 
great  external  enemy  because  the  greater  part  of  the 
nation  follow  the  beast.  But  God'  also  deals  with 
him  in  judgment  because  he  lifts  himself  up.  All 
this  is  seen  in  the  tenth  chapter  of  Isaiah.  Notice 
the  six  divisions  of  Isaiah  x.  5-34. 

1.  A  description  of  the  Assyrian.  He  is  the  in- 
strument which  God  uses  to  punish  Israel.  God 
sends  him  against  a  hypocritical  nation.  Verses 
5-11. 

2.  The  punishment  of  the  Assyrian  is  announced. 
That  time  will  be  when  the  Lord  has  performed 
His  whole  work  upon  Jerusalem.  It  is  therefore 
future.    Verses  12-15. 

3.  The  punishment  itself.  It  shall  be  suddenly 
and  complete.    Verses  16-19. 

4.  The  return  of  the  remnant  of  Israel  is  prom- 
ised.   Verses  20-23. 

5.  The  Word  of  Comfort  to  the  troubled  rem- 
nant.    Verses  24-27. 

6.  A  vivid  description  of  the  advance  of  the  Assy- 


112  THE  PROPHET  DANIELI 

rian  against  Jerusalem  and  the  intervention  from 
above.    Verses  28-34. 

The  great  final  fulfillment  of  all  this  will  come, 
when  the  King  with  the  fierce  countenance  appears 
and  devastates  the  land  and  stands  up  against  the 
Prince  of  princes,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  reader 
will  also  notice  that  Isaiah  xi.  has  much  to  say  of  the 
coming  King,  our  Lord,  and  His  Kingdom,  which 
comes  immediately  after  the  power  of  the  Assyrian 
has  been  broken. 

Isaiah  xiv.  speaks  first  of  the  King  of  Babylon 
and  the  judgment  which  will  fall  upon  him  and 
upon  "the  golden  city"  (verse  4). 

The  King  of  Babylon  is  prophetically  the  last 
great  king,  who  holds  the  power  over  the  Roman 
Empire  (that  is  the  little  horn  of  Daniel  vii.).  But 
in  the  same  chapter  the  Assyrian  of  the  end  is  like- 
wise mentioned. 

The  Lord  of  hosts  hath  sworn,  saying,  Surely 
as  I  have  thought  so  shall  it  come  to  pass;  and  as  I 
have  purposed,  so  shall  it  stand.  That  I  will  break  the 
Assyrian  in  my  land,  and  upon  my  mountains  tread 
him  under  foot;  then  shall  his  yoke  depart  from  off 
them,  and  his  burden  depart  from  off  their  shoulders  , 
(verses  24-25). 

It  is  significant  that  in  this  chapter  Babylon  with 
its  King  and  judgment  meted  out  to  him  stands 
first  and  the  Assyrian  is  mentioned  after  Babylon. 
This  is  the  prophetic  order.  Historically  the  Assy- 
rian came  first  and  Babylon  second.  When  the  age 
closes  and  the  time  comes  revealed  to  Daniel  by 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  113 

Gabriel's  interpretation,  the  Roman  Empire  will  rise 
first  with  its  King  and  the  Assyrian  comes  after. 
In  chapter  xxx,  the  miserable  end  of  the  Assyrian 
is  revealed,  corresponding  to  what  is  said  in  Daniel 
of  his  sudden  judgment. 

For  through  the  voice  of  the  Lord  shall  the  Assyrian 
be  beaten  down,  which  smote  with  a  rod.  And  in 
every  place  where  the  grounded  staff  shall  pass,  which 
the  Lord  shall  lay  upon  him,  it  shall  be  with  tabrets 
and  harps;  and  in  battles  of  shaking  will  he  fight  with 
It.  For  Tophet  is  ordained  of  old;  yea,  for  the  king 
also  it  is  prepared;  he  hath  made  it  deep  and  large; 
the  pile  thereof  is  fire  and  much  wood;  the  breath  of 
the  Lord,  like  a  stream  of  brimstone  doth  kindle  it 
(Is.  xxx;  31-33). 

Tophet  is  the  name  for  the  place  of  punishment, 
the  lake  of  fire.  The  Assyrian  will  be  cast  in  there, 
where  he  will  find  his  two  enemies,  the  Emperor 
of  the  Roman  Empire,  called  the  beast,  and  the  Anti- 
christ. The  true  rendering  is  "for  the  King  also" 
showing  that  not  alone  is  the  Assyrian  cast  there 
but  also  the  false  King. 

Micah  v.,  1-7.  A  careful  study  of  the  first  seven 
verses  of  the  v  chapter  of  Micah  reveals  the  same 
personage. 

Now  gather  thyself  in  troops,  O  daughter  of  troops: 
he  hath  laid  siege  against  us:  they  shall  smite  the  judge 
of  Israel  with  a  rod  upon  the  cheek.  But  thou,  Beth- 
lehem Ephratah,  though  thou  be  little  among  the  thou- 
sands of  Judah,  yet  out  of  thee  shall  he  come  forth  unto 
me  that  is  to  be  ruler  in  Israel;  whose  goings  forth 
have  been  from  of  old,  from  everlasting.  Therefore 
will  he  give  them  up,  until  the  time  that  she  which 
travaileth  hath  brought  forth:  then  the  remnant  of  his 


114  THE  PROPHET  DANIELl 

brethern  shall  return  unto  the  children  of  Israel.  And 
he  shall  stand  and  feed  in  the  strength  of  the  Lx)rd, 
in  the  majesty  of  the  name  of  the  Lord  his  God;  and 
they  shall  abide:  for  now  shall  he  be  great  unto  the 
ends  of  the  earth.  And  this  man  shall  be  the  peace, 
when  the  Assyrian  shall  come  into  our  land:  and  when 
he  shall  tread  in  our  palaces,  then  shall  we  raise  against 
him  seven  shepherds,  and  eight  principal  men.  And 
they  shall  waste  the  land  of  Assyria  with  the  sword, 
and  the  land  of  Nimrod  in  the  entrances  thereof :  thus 
shall  he  deliver  us  from  the  Assyrian,  when  he  cometli 
into  our  land,  and  when  he  treadeth  within  our  borders. 
And  the  remnant  of  Jacob  shall  be  in  the  midst  of  many 
people  as  dew  from  the  Lord,  as  the  showers  upon  the 
grass,  that  tarrieth  not  for  man,  nor  waiteth  for  the 
sons  of  men." 

The  second  verse  predicts  the  birth  of  our  Lord. 
The  third  verse  reveals  the  fact  that  His  own  to 
whom  He  came  and  who  received  Him  not,  were 
to  be  given  up.  Even  so  it  has  come  to  pass.  But 
the  giving  up  of  the  nation  is  not  to  be  forever:  it 
is  "until"  the  travailing  time  i.  e.,  when  the  nation 
passes  through  the  birth  pangs  during  the  great 
tribulation,  when  the  remnant  of  His  people  will 
be  born  and  the  national  deliverance  achieved.  The 
fourth  verse  shows  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  through 
whom  at  His  second  coming  the  national  restoration 
and  blessing  will  be  brought  about.  In  the  verses 
which  follow  we  hear  that  the  Assyrian  will  then  be 
in  the  land  and  the  Lord  wHl  be  their  peace  in  that 
day;  "thus  shall  He  deliver  us  from  the  Assyrian 
v/hen  he  cometh  into  our  land,  and  when  he  treadeth 
within  our  borders."  This  is  future.  It  is  the  same 
invader  and  desolator  revealed  to  Daniel. 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  115 

Joel's  Prophecy.  The  second  chapter  in,  Joel 
gives  a  vivid  description  of  the  invasion  of  a  great 
army,  which  comes  from  the  North,  called  "the 
Northern  army."  The  desolation  which  this  northern 
army  works  is  compared  to  the  devastation  of 
locusts.  The  nation  is  called  to  repentance  on  ac- 
count of  this  final  indignation  and  they  call  upon 
Jehovah,  who  appears  and  overthrows  the  invading 
forces  and  delivers  His  land  and  His  people.  The 
blessings,  including  a  great  outpouring  of  His  Spirit, 
which  follow  these  events  are  described  in  the  clos- 
ing verses  of  this  chapter.  The  northern  army  is 
the  Assyrian.  We  refer  the  reader  to  our  exposi- 
tion of  the  book  of  Joel.* 

Some  Prophetic  Psalms.  In  the  Psalms  likewise 
this  Assyrian  enemy  of  the  end  time  and  his  dread- 
ful work  is  mentioned.  Zechariah  contains  a  de- 
scription of  the  last  siege  of  Jerusalem  and  how  the 
Lord  comes  and  fights  against  the  Assyrian  (chapter 
xiv.).  In  the  Psalms  we  have  some  details  of  the 
desolations  which  the  Assyrian  works  when  he  is 
in  the  land  and  is  conquering  Jerusalem. 

In  Psalm  Ixxiv.  we  find  such  a  prophetic  de- 
scription of  what  is  yet  to  be.  It  is  the  outpouring 
of  the  heart  of  the  pious  Jews  in  that  day,  those 
who  do  not  side  with  the  two  beasts. 

O  God,  why  hast  thou  cast  us  off  for  ever?  why  doth 
thine  anger  smoke  against  the  sheep  of  thy  pasture? 
Remember  thy  congregation,  which  thou  hast  purchased 

*The  Prophet  Joe..;.  An  exposition.  Seventy-five  cents 
postpaid.  Publ.  office  "Our  Hope,"  456  Fourth  Ave.,  New 
York  City. 


ii6  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

of  old)  the  rod  of  thine  inheritance,  which  thou  hast 
redeemed;  this  mount  Zion,  wherein  thou  hast  dwelt. 
Lift  up  thy  feet  unto  the  perpetual  desolations,  even  all 
that  the  enemy  hath  done  wickedly  in  the  sanctuary. 
Thine  enemies  roar  in  the  midst  of  thy  congregations; 
they  set  up  their  ensigns  for  signs.  A  man  was  famous 
according  as  he  had  lifted  up  axes  upon  the  thick  trees. 
But  now  they  break  down  the  carved  work  thereof  at 
once  with  axes  and  hammers.  They  have  cast  fire  into 
thy  sanctuary,  they  have  defiled  by  casting  down  the 
dwelling  place  of  thy  name  to  the  ground.  They  said 
in  their  hearts  let  us  destroy  them  together:  they  have 
burned  up  all  the  synagogues  of  God  in  the  land. 
We  see  not  our  signs:  there  is  no  more  any  prophet: 
neither  is  there  among  us  any  that  knoweth  how  long. 
O  God  how  long  shall  the  adversary  reproach?  shall 
the  enemy  blaspheme  thy  name  for  ever?  (Psalm 
Ixxiv;  l-io), 

Still  greater  is  the  sad  complaint  in  Psalm  Ixxix. 
which  also  describes  that  enemy  in  the  midst  of 
the  city. 

O  God,  the  heathen  are  come  into  thine  inheritance; 
thy  holy  temple  have  they  defiled;  they  have  laid 
Jerusalem  on  heaps.  The  dead  bodies  of  thy  servants 
have  they  given  to  be  meat  unto  the  fowls  of  the 
heaven,  the  flesh  of  thy  saints  unto  the  beasts  of  the 
earth.  Their  blood  have  they  shed  like  water  round 
about  Jerusalem;  and  there  was  none  to  bury  them. 
We  are  become  a  reproach  to  our  neighbours,  a  scorn 
and  derision  to  them  that  are  round  about  us.  How 
long,  Lord?  wilt  thou  be  angry  for  ever?  shall  thy 
jealousy  burn  like  fire? 

These  are  Asaph's  Psalms  and  Asaph  the  holy 
singer  in  Israel  is  a  prophetic  type  of  the  pious 
remnant  of  the  Jews  during  the  time  of  the  end. 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  117 

Without  quoting  other  Scriptures  we  have  had 
sufficient  evidence  that  in  the  period  of  time  speci- 
fied in  Daniel's  prophecies  as  "the  time  of  the  end" ; 
"the  last  end  of  the  indignation,"  that  is  the  few 
years  which  precede  the  visible  and  glorious  ap- 
pearing of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  a  powerful  enemy 
will  invade  Israel's  land.  He  will  come  against  the 
people  who  have  gathered  back  to  the  country.  He 
comes  from  the  North  as  Antiochus  Epiphanes 
came  from  the  North.  In  chapter  xi.  he  goes  by  the 
name  of  the  King  of  the  North.  He  is  identical  with 
the  Assyrian  in  Isaiah  and  Micah. 

The  personal  Antichrist  and  the  northern  invader, 
that  other  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  are  therefore  not 
the  same  being.  The  personal  Antichrist,  the  man 
of  sin,  will  be  a  Jew,  He  takes  his  seat  in  the  temple 
when  the  first  beast  breaks  his  covenant  with  the 
Jews;  he  works  lying  miracles.  He  is  the  false 
Messiah,  claiming  to  be  the  King  over  the  Jewish 
people,  a  very  incarnation  of  Satan.  He  demands 
divine  worship.  But  the  one  described  in  Daniel 
viii.  23-26  is  an  external  foe. 

And  who  will  he  be?  From  where  will  he  rise? 
One  must  guard  against  making  predictions  in  ex- 
pounding prophecy.  Many  have  erred  in  this  re- 
spect and  have  done  harm  by  predicting  certain 
persons  as  being  Antichrist  or  this  King  from  the 
North.  The  prophecy  in  the  chapter  before  us 
makes  it  plain  that  this  desolator  will  arise  from 
one  of  the  divisions  of  the  Grecian  empire.  That 
territory  is  held  now  by  Turkey.  When  the  time 
of  the  end  comes  the  greatest  upheavals  will  take 


ii8  THE  PROPHET  DANIED 

place  both  in  Asia  Minor  and  in  the  surrounding 
countries.  What  changes  will  then  take  place, 
whether  a  great  Russian  Czar  or  some  other  one 
will  accomplish  the  great  eastern  confederacy  re- 
mains as  a  secret  with  God.  But  it  seems  clear 
that  the  King  with  the  fierce  countenance  will  act 
under  the  instructions  of  a  superior  for  we  read 
"his  power  shall  be  mighty,  but  not  by  his  own 
power."  As  we  shall  find  more  of  him  in  Daniel's 
final  prophecy  we  leave  this  chapter  with  this. 


CHAPTER  IX 
The  Great  Prophecy  of  the  Seventy  Weeks 

The  previous  chapter  closed  with  the  effect  of 
the  vision  and  its  interpretation  upon  the  holy  seer. 
He  famished  and  became  sick.  Great  astonishment 
filled  his  soul  and  none  understood  it.  This  should 
dispel  the  idea,  which  some  people  seem  to  have,  as 
if  the  prophets  were  simply  in  a  passive  state  and 
the  visions  they  had  and  prophecies  they  received 
came  to  them  in  a  mechanical  way.  The  prophets 
were  holy  men  of  God  and  they  were  moved  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  (2  Pet.  i.  21).  It  is  true  they  did  not 
completely  understand  their  visions;  they  had  to 
search  themselves  and  much  was  mysterious  and 
hidden  to  them,  yet  they  believed  (1  Pet.  i.  10-12). 
Daniel  shows  how  deeply  moved  he  was  after  these 
visions.  We  read  of  him  how  each  vision  was  con- 
nected w^ith  the  deepest  soul  exercise,  with  fasting 
and  prayer  as  well  as  the  reading  of  those  portions 
of  the  Word  of  God  he  possessed.  Especially  in 
the  present  chapter  do  we  find  that  the  greatest 
revelation  he  received  was  an  answer  to  prayer. 

And  here  we  may  well  think  of  the  same  neces- 
sity for  us.    We  too  cannot  advance  in  the  knowl- 

119 


I20  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

edge  of  the  revelation  of  God  unless  it  is  through 
prayer  and  soul  exercise.  The  lessons  are  many 
and  precious  which  we  gather  especially  from  the 
great  prayer  the  man  greatly  beloved  uttered  and 
the  still  greater  spiritual  experience  which  followed 
the  divine,  heaven-sent  answer  (chapter  x.). 

The  Time  of  Daniel's  Prayer.  Before  we  examine 
the  occasion  of  the  prayer  of  Daniel  and  the  prayer 
itself  we  consider  the  time  when  the  Prophet  prayed. 

In  the  first  year  of  Darius  the  son  of  Ahasuerus,  of 
the  seed  of  the  Medes,  which  was  made  king  over  the 
realm  of  the  Chaldeans;  In  the  first  year  of  his  reign 
I  Daniel  understood  by  books  the  number  of  the  years, 
whereof  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  Jeremiah  the 
prophet,  that  he  would  accomplish  seventy  years  in  the 
desolations  of  Jerusalem, 

From  this  we  learn  that  this  chapter  takes 
us  into  the  first  year  of  the  reign  of  Darius, 
the  son  of  Ahasuerus,  of  the  seed  of  the  Medes. 
Darius  the  Mede,  the  son  of  Ahasuerus  is  still  un- 
known by  name  to  history  and  to  the  monuments, 
but  that  in  itself  is  no  argument  against  the  book 
of  Daniel.  Belshazzar's  name  was  likewise  unknown 
to  history  and  to  the  ancient  monuments,  till  the 
discovered  memorials  of  Nabonnaid  confirmed  so 
fully  the  correctness  of  Daniel's  writings.  But  the 
poor  critics  have  not  yet  learned  their  lessons  and 
they  will  continue  to  doubt  the  Word  of  God,  till 
some  day  to  their  eternal  loss  they  will  find  out  the 
complete  defeat  as  well  as  wickedness  of  their  de- 
structive work.    Another  objection  has  been  made 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL!  121 

that  the  names  "Darius,  son  of  Ahasuerus"  are  not 
Median,  but  Persian.  But  this  objection  likewise 
falls  to  the  ground,  for  the  language  of  the  Persians 
was  almost  identical  with  that  of  the  Medes. 

What  led  Daniel  to  Pray.  It  was  a  critical  time 
for  Daniel's  people,  when  Darius  the  Mede  began 
his  reign.  Babylon  which  had  been  the  instrument 
of  the  captivity  had  fallen  and  the  70  years,  which 
God  had  announced  should  be  the  duration  of  the 
punishment,  had  also  expired.  We  see  Daniel  oc- 
cupied with  the  reading  of  the  Word  of  God. 
Besides  the  Pentateuch  and  other  historical  books, 
he  possessed  most  of  the  Psalms  and  the  former 
Prophets,  the  books  of  Isaiah,  Micah,  Joel,  Obadiah, 
Amos,  Jeremiah,  and  others.  In  these  oracles  of 
God  he  read  of  a  better  day,  which  was  to  come 
for  his  beloved  people  and  that  God  had  promised 
them  great  mercies  and  a  glorious  future.  Being  a 
prophet  himself  he  understood  the  promises  of  bless-- 
ing.  We  see  him  especially  occupied  with  the 
prophet  Jeremiah.  "I  Daniel,  understood  by  books* 
the  number  of  the  years,  where  of  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  came  to  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  that  He  would 
accomplish  seventy  years  in  the  desolations  of  Je- 
rusalem." What  presumption  it  is  when  the  puny 
critics  of  the  present  day  deny  that  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  came  to  Jeremiah  and  the  other  prophets, 
when  so  great  a  man  as  Daniel  knew  that  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  did  come  to  them  as  well  as  to  himself. 
It  was  by  turning  to  the  Word  that  he  became  so 
deeply  interested.    Though  he  was  a  prophet,  highly 

*  Hebrew  "Hassephorim,  "The  Books." 


122  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

favored  of  the  Lord,  he  felt  the  need  of  perusing 
what  other  prophets  before  him  had  said.  And 
God's  own  Word  led  him  close  to  God  and  revealed 
to  him  God's  thoughts  and  God's  purposes.  He  did 
not  need  a  special  communication  concerning  the 
duration  and  termination  of  the  Babylonian  cap- 
tivity. God  had  given  a  revelation  already  on  this 
question  as  well  as  on  the  mercy  in  store  for  Jeru- 
salem. The  Prophet  therefore  did  not  turn  to  the 
Lord  for  a  new  revelation,  but  he  read  His  revelation 
as  given  in  the  Books.  This  is  an  important  prin- 
ciple. There  have  been  and  there  are  misguided 
people  who  believe  that  God  gives  still  revelations 
and  that  they  receive  them.  But  God  has  given  to 
us  a  complete  revelation  concerning  Himself,  our- 
selves, and  the  future,  the  things  to  come  and  He 
expects  us  now  to  study  that  completed  revelation 
and  to  believe  it.  From  His  Word  we  learn  His 
purposes  and  living,  as  we  do,  in  a  critical  time, 
when  God  vv^ill  soon  fulfill  His  promises  and  carry 
out  His  purposes  how  diligent  we  ought  to  be  to 
read  and  understand. 

Daniel  after  reading  in  the  books  and  in  Jeremiah 
about  God's  gracious  promises  to  Jerusalem  (see 
Jeremiah  xxiv.  5-10)  drew  near  to  God.  He  might 
have  announced  his  discovery  to  the  people,  but  he 
turned  to  the  Lord  in  prayer.  He  knew  Babylon 
had  been  conquered  and  that  Cyrus  the  Persian 
was  the  King  who  was  to  give  the  command  that 
Jerusalem  should  be  built  (Isaiah  xliv.  2S  to  xlv. 
4)  and  the  next  was  that,  prophet  like,  he  sought  the 
face  of  God  to  intercede  for  His  people,  whom  he 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  123 

so  deeply  loved.     True  prayer  must  have  for  its 
foundation  the  Word  of  God. 

The  Prayer.  It  is  one  of  the  greatest  prayers  of 
the  Bible,  which  Daniel  prayed.  In  reading  it  one 
feels  still  its  great  warmth,  and  its  earnest  plead- 
ings, deep  humility,  confession  of  sin  and  failure 
touch  every  spiritually  minded  believer.  We  think 
it  well  to  quote  the  entire  prayer. 

And  I  set  my  face  unto  the  Lord  God,  to  seek  by 
prayer  and   supplications,  with   fasting,  and  sackcloth, 
and  ashes.    And  I  prayed  unto  the  Lord  my  God,  and 
made  my  confession,  and  said,  O  Lord,  the  great  and 
dreadful  God,  keeping  the  covenant  and  mercy  to  them 
that  love  him,  and  to  them  that  keep  his  command- 
ments; we  have  sinned,  and  have  committed  iniquity, 
and  have   done  wickedly,   and  have  rebelled,   even  by 
department  from  thy  precepts  and  from  thy  judgments: 
neither    have    we    hearkened    unto    thy    servants    the 
prophets,  which  spake  in  thy  name  to  our  kins,   our 
princes,  and  our  fathers,  and  to  all  the  people  of  the 
land.     O  Lord,  righteousness  belongeth  unto  thee,  but 
unto  us  confusion  of  face,  as  at  this  day;  to  the  men 
of  Judah,  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  and  unto 
all  Israel,  that  are  near,  and  that  are  far  off,  through 
all  the  countries  whither  thou  hast  driven  them,  because 
of  their  trespass  that  they  have  trespassed  against  thee. 
O  Lord,  to  us  belongeth  confusion  of  face,  to  our  kings, 
to  our  princes,   and  to  our  fathers,  because  we  have 
sinned    against   thee.     To    the   Lord    our   God    belong 
mercies    and    forgiveness,    though    we    have    rebelled 
against  him;  neither  have  we  obeyed  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  our  God,  to  walk  in  his  laws,  which  he  set  before 
us  by  his  servants  the  prophets.     Yea,  all  Israel  have 
^transgressed  thy   law,    even   by   department,   that  they 
might  not  obey  thy  voice ;  therefore  the  curse  is  poured 
upon  us,  and  the  oath  that  is  written  in  the  law  of 


124  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

Moses  the  servant  of  God,  because  we  have  sinned 
against  him.  And  he  hath  confirmed  his  words,  which 
he  spake  against  us,  and  against  our  judges  that  judged 
us,  by  bringing  upon  us  a  great  evil:  for  under  the 
whole  heaven  hath  not  been  done  as  hath  been  done 
upon  Jerusalem.  As  it  is  written  in  the  law  of  Moses, 
all  this  evil  is  come  upon  us:  yet  made  we  not  our 
prayer  before  the  Lord  our  God,  that  we  might  turn 
from  our  iniquities,  and  understand  thy  truth.  There- 
fore hath  the  Lord  watched  upon  the  evil,  and  brought 
it  upon  us :  for  the  Lord  our  God  is  righteous  in  all 
his  works  which  he  doeth :  for  we  obeyed  not  his  voice. 
And  now,  O  Lord  our  God,  that  hast  brought  thy 
people  forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  with  a  mighty 
hand,  and  hast  gotten  thee  renown,  as  at  this  day:  we 
have  sinned,  we  have  done  wickedly.  O  Lord,  accord- 
ing to  all  they  righteousness,  I  beseech  thee,  let  thine 
anger  and  thy  fury  be  turned  away  from  thy  city 
Jerusalem,  thy  holy  mountain:  because  of  our  sins, 
and  for  the  iniquities  of  our  fathers,  Jerusalem  and 
thy  people  are  become  a  reproach  to  all  that  are  about 
us.  Now  therefore,  O  our  God,  hear  the  prayer  of  thy 
servant,  and  his  supplications,  and  cause  thy  face  to 
shine  upon  thy  sanctuary  that  is  desolate,  for  the  Lord's 
sake.  O  my  God,  incline  thine  ear,  and  hear;  open 
thine  eyes  and  behold  our  desolations,  and  the  city 
which  is  called  by  thy  name:  for  we  do  not  present 
our  supplications  before  thee  for  our  righteousness, 
but  for  thy  great  mercies.  O  Lord,  hear;  O  Lord, 
forgive ;  O  Lord,  hearken  and  do :  defer  not,  for  thine 
own  sake,  O  my  God:  for  thy  city  and  thy  people  are 
called  by  thy  name   (verses  5-19), 

In  deepest  humiliation  the  great  man  of  God  ap- 
proached the  Lord  his  God.  The  first  thing  we 
read  is  that  he  made  his  confession.  *T  prayed  unto 
the    Lord    my    God,    and    made    my    confession." 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEU  125 

Throughout  this  prayer  we  read  how  completely  he 
identified  himself  with  the  sins,  the  failure,  the 
shame  and  the  judgment  of  the  people  of  God. 
This  is  remarkable.  As  we  have  seen  from  the  first 
chapter,  he  was  brought  to  Babylon  when  quite 
young  and  belonged  even  then  to  the  believing  God 
fearing  element  of  the  nation.  Yet  he  speaks  of  the 
nation's  sins,  their  rebellion,  their  transgressions  of 
the  law  and  their  wicked  deeds  as  if  they  belonged 
to  him.  Of  all  the  Bible  characters  Daniel  appears 
as  the  purest.  The  failures  of  Abraham,  Moses, 
Aaron,  David  and  others  are  recorded  but  Daniel 
appears  with  no  flaw  whatever  in  his  character. 
As  far  as  the  record  goes  he  was  a  perfect  man.  Of 
course  he  too  was  "a  man  of  like  passions"  as  we 
are  and  as  such  a  sinner.  Yet  this  devoted  and 
aged  servant  with  such  a  record  of  loyalty  to  God 
and  to  His  laws  confesses  all  the  people's  sins  and 
the  curse  and  shame,  which  came  upon  them  as 
His  own.  We  have  sinned — we  hearkened  not  unto 
thy  servants — we  have  rebelled  against  thee; — 
neither  have  we  obeyed  the  voice  of  the  Lord  our 
God; — we  have  sinned  and  done  wickedly;  these 
are  some  of  the  expressions  he  uses  in  his  prayer 
of  confession.  The  confusion  of  face,  the  shame 
and  reproach,  the  curse  and  the  anger  he  also  takes 
upon  himself.  Well  may  we  see  in  him  a  type  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  who  took  the  sins  of  His 
people  upon  himself  and  confessed  them  as  His  own. 
Daniel  loving  his  people  and  knowing  the  cause 
of  all  the  confusion  of  face,  the  reproach  and  anger 
resting  upon  them,  takes  his  place  with  them  in  all 


126  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

they  had  done  and  all  which  came  upon  them.  Their 
sin  is  his  sin,  their  failure  his  failure,  their  confusion 
of  face  and  reproach,  he  makes  his  own.  Instead 
of  exempting  himself  from  any  blame  of  what  the 
nation  did  and  what  came  upon  them  as  a  result  of 
their  apostasy,  he  takes  his  place  right  with  them. 
Such  a  spirit  pleases  God.  From  all  this  we  may 
profit  likewise.  Instead  of  boasting,  as  it  is  so  often 
heard,  among  believing  Christians,  "that  we  are  the 
people"  or  little  narrow  circles  of  fellowship,  claim- 
ing to  be  "the  church  of  God  on  earth"  in  which 
no  failure  is  found,  we  too  like  Daniel  should  con- 
fess the  failure  in  which  we  all  have  a  share  and 
part  and  in  deep  humiliation  seek  the  face  of  God, 
confessing  our  sins.  This  is  the  way  to  blessing. 
Daniel  pleads  for  the  nation,  for  Jerusalem,  the 
sanctuary,  for  the  desolate  city  called  by  the  name 
of  the  Lord.  He  reminds  Him  that  they  are  His 
people.  His  city,  His  sanctuary  and  appeals  to 
Jehovah  that  His  anger  and  fury  be  turned  away, 
to  cause  his  face  to  shine  on  His  sanctuary,  to  in- 
cline His  ears,  to  open  His  eyes,  to  forgive  and  not 
delay.  It  is  a  great  prayer  of  confession  and  inter- 
cession. As  our  chief  purpose  in  this  book  is  to 
explain  the  prophetic  visions  and  revelations,  we  do 
not  enter  into  greater  detail,  but  point  out  briefly 
the  scope  of  the  prayer. 

It  may  be  divided  into  three  parts.  (1)  Verses 
4-10.  Confession  of  the  failures  of  the  nation  and 
acknowledgment  of  God's  covenant  mercies.  (2) 
Verses  11-14.  The  deserved  curse  as  written  in  the 
law  of  Moses.     (3)   Verses   15-19.     Pleadings  for 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL'  127 

mercy  to  turn  away  His  anger  and  to  remember 
His  city  Jerusalem  and  Plis  people. 

The  Interrupted  Prayer.  Daniel  was  not  per- 
mitted to  finish  his  prayer.  When  he  poured  out 
his  heart  and  said  "defer  not  for  thine  own  sake, 
O  my  God:  for  thy  city  and  thy  people  are  called 
by  thy  name"  he  was  suddenly  interrupted.  Before 
him  stood  once  more  the  heavenly  messenger,  the 
man  Gabriel.  But  we  shall  first  of  all  read  DanieFs 
own  words  on  what  took  place. 

And  while  I  was  speaking,  and  praying,  and  confess- 
ing my  sin  and  the  sin  of  my  people  Israel,  and 
presenting  my  supplication  before  the  Lord  my  God 
for  the  holy  mountain  of  my  God;  yea,  while  I  was 
speaking  in  prayer,  even  the  man  Gabriel,  whom  I 
had  seen  in  the  vision  at  the  beginning,  being  caused 
to  fly  swiftly,  touched  me  about  the  time  of  the  evening 
oblation.  And  he  informed  me,  and  talked  with  me, 
and  said,  O  Daniel,  I  am  now  come  forth  to  give  thee 
skill  and  understanding.  At  the  beginning  of  thy  sup- 
plications the  commandment  came  forth,  and  I  am 
come  to  shew  thee;  for  thou  art  greatly  beloved:  there- 
fore understand  the  matter,  and  consider  the  vision 
(verses  20-23). 


Twice  Daniel  tells  us  that  whilst  he  was  speak- 
ing in  prayer  he  was  interrupted  by  the  same  one, 
whom  he  had  seen  in  the  previous  vision  and  that 
he  touched  him.  The  prayer  was  cut  short  for 
Gabriel  had  come  to  bring  him  the  answer.  The 
man  Gabriel  appeared  at  the  time  of  the  evening 
oblation,  that  is  at  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  But 
was  there  a  time  of  the  evening  oblation  in  Babylon? 


128  THE  PROPHET  DANIEIi 

Certainly  not.  The  temple  had  been  consumed  by 
fire  almost  70  years  before  and  the  Jews  then  as 
now  in  their  greater  dispersion,  had  no  altar  and  no 
sacrifices  left.  It  is  one  of  the  evidences  of  faith 
in  Daniel.  Though  there  was  no  temple  and  no 
evening  oblation,  yet  he  remembered  the  time  and 
the  memories  of  the  past  filled  his  soul.  The  mes- 
senger had  been  caused  by  God's  own  power  to  fly 
swiftly.  He  informs  Daniel  that  he  had  come  to 
give  him  skill  and  understanding.  He  addresses 
him  as  "greatly  beloved"  and  tells  Daniel  that 
when  he  began  his  supplications  with  deep  humilia- 
tion and  confession,  he,  Gabriel,  received  the  com- 
mand to  fly  swiftly  and  bring  Daniel  the  answer  to 
his  prayer. 

How  Near  Heaven  Is.  How  far  is  heaven  from 
earth?  How  long  does  a  message  take  from  God's 
dwelling  place  in  the  third  heaven  to  reach  this 
earth?  Astronomy  tells  us  of  the  immeasurable 
depths  of  the  universe  with  its  mighty  and  innumer- 
able bodies  called  stars  and  its  wonders.  But  be- 
yond the  most  distant  constellation  there  is  the 
Heaven  of  the  heavens,  there  is  the  throne  of  God 
and  all  His  Glory.  And  yet  heaven  is  not  far  away. 
It  took  the  man  Gabriel  just  a  few  minutes,  being 
caused  to  fly  swiftly,  to  reach  Daniel  and  acquaint 
him  with  the  secrets  of  God.  As  long  as  it  takes 
to  utter  the  words  Daniel  prayed,  so  long  it  took 
Gabriel  to  reach  the  intercessor's  side.  This  is  an 
inconceivable  speed.  But  why  should  it  be  thought 
impossible  with  God?  Puny  man  on  earth,  which 
as  a  globe  in  the  mighty  universe  is  in  size  the 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL,  129 

least  of  all  these  great  bodies,  like  a  small  grain  of 
sand  on  the  shore  of  the  ocean,  and  yet  man  has 
discovered  to  cast  his  thoughts  through  space  in  an 
invisible  way.  Heaven  is  not  far  away.  There  is  no 
space  and  distance  for  God.  What  an  encourage- 
ment to  prayer  this  ought  to  be  to  God's  people. 
The  moment  we  pray  in  the  Spirit  and  in  His  name 
our  voices  are  heard  in  the  highest  heaven. 

The  Answer.  A  Great  Prophecy.  The  message 
Gabriel  brought  to  Daniel  contains  more  than  an 
answer  to  his  prayer.  It  was  an  answer  to  his  re- 
quests concerning  the  people,  the  holy  city  and  the 
sanctuary,  but  at  the  same  time  it  is  a  great  apoca- 
lypsis  of  the  entire  future  of  Israel  from  the  end  of 
the  Babylonian  captivity  to  the  time  of  the  end, 
when  the  Roman  Prince  shall  make  a  covenant 
with  many  of  the  Jews,  when  the  desolator  shall 
invade  the  land  and  when  the  final  great  and 
glorious  deliverance  of  Daniel's  people  shall  come. 

The  prophetic  message  Gabriel  brought  from  the 
throne  of  God  to  Daniel  is  perhaps  the  most  im- 
portant not  only  in  the  Book  of  Daniel,  but  in  the 
whole  Bible.  The  clear  understanding  of  it  is  in- 
dispensable to  every  reader  of  God's  Word,  who 
wants  to  know  God's  purposes  concerning  the  fu- 
ture. In  the  few  verses  which  contain  the  words  of 
Gabriel,  events  relating  to  Jewish  future  history 
are  predicted.  The  return  of  the  Jews  from  the 
Babylonian  captivity,  the  rebuilding  of  the  city  in 
time  of  distress,  the  coming  of  Christ  in  humilia- 
tion, His  death,  the  destruction  of  the  temple  and 
the  city  by  the  Romans,  the  desolations  and  wars 


130  THE  PROPHET  DANIEU 

which  were  to  follow,  all  this  is  prewritten  in  this 
great  prophecy.  The  final  end  of  the  time  of  the 
Gentiles,  the  great  eventful  week  of  seven  years  is 
revealed  in  the  last  verse. 

A  Corrected  Text  of  the  Prophecy.  The  author- 
ized version  is  somewhat  incorrect.  We  give  there- 
fore first  of  all  a  corrected  translation. 

Seventy  weeks  are  apportioned  out  upon  thy  people 
and  upon  thy  holy  city  to  finish  the  transgression  and 
to  make  an  end  of  sins,  and  to  cover  iniquity,  and  to 
bring  in  the  righteousness  of  the  ages,  and  to  seal  the 
vision  and  prophet,  and  to  anoint  the  holy  of  holies. 
Know  therefore  and  understand:  From  the  going 
forth  of  the  word  to  restore  and  to  rebuild  Jerusalem 
unto  Messiah,  the  Prince,  shall  be  Seven  Weeks  and 
Sixty-two  Weeks.  The  street  and  the  wall  shall  be 
built  again,  even  in  troublous  times.  And  after  the 
Sixty-two  Weeks  shall  Messiah  be  cut  off,  and  shall 
have  nothing;  and  the  people  of  the  prince  that  shall 
come  shall  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary;  and  the 
end  thereof  shall  be  with  an  overflow,  and  unto  the 
end  war,  the  desolations  determined.  And  he  shall 
confirm  a  covenant  with  the  many  for  one  week;  and 
in  the  midst  of  the  week  he  shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and 
the  oblation  to  cease  and  because  of  the  protection  of 
abominations  there  shall  be  a  desolator,  even  until  the 
consummation  and  what  is  determined  shall  be  poured 
out  upon  the  desolator   (verses  24-27). 

What  are  the  Seventy  Weeks?  To  many  readers 
of  the  Book  of  Daniel  it  is  not  quite  clear  what  the 
expression  "seventy  weeks"  means  and  when  it 
is  stated  that  each  week  represents  a  period  of  seven 
years,  many  Christians  do  not  know  why  such  is 
the  case.     A  brief  word  of  explanation  may  there- 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  131 

fore  be  in  order.  The  literal  translation  of  the 
term  "seventy  weeks"  is  "seventy  sevens."  Now 
this  word  "sevens"  translated  "weeks"  may  mean 
"days"  and  it  may  mean  "years."  What  then  is 
meant  here,  seventy  times  seven  days  or  seventy 
times  seven  years?  It  is  evident  that  the  "sevens" 
mean  year  weeks,  seven  years  to  each  prophetic 
week.  Daniel  was  occupied  in  reading  the  books  and 
in  prayer  with  the  seventy  years  of  the  Babylonian 
captivity.  And  now  Gabriel  is  going  to  reveal  to 
him  something  which  will  take  place  in  "seventy 
sevens,"  which  means  seventy  times  seven  years. 
The  proof  that  such  is  the  case  is  furnished  by  the 
fulfillment  of  the  prophecy  itself.  Now  seventy 
seven  years  makes  490  years. 

What  is  to  be  Accomplished.  Verse  24  gives  the 
great  things,  which  are  to  be  accomplished  during 
these  seventy  year  weeks  or  490  years.  They  are 
the  following:  (1)  To  finish  the  transgression. 
(2)  To  make  an  end  of  sins.  (3)  To  cover  iniquity. 
(4)  To  bring  in  the  righteousness  of  ages.  (5)  To 
seal  the  vision  and  prophet.  (6)  To  anoint  the 
Holy  of  Holies. 

Now  it  must  be  borne  ia  mind  that  these  things 
concern  exclusively  Daniel's  people  and  not  Gentiles 
but  the  holy  city  Jerusalem.  It  is  clear  that  the 
finishing  of  transgression,  the  end  of  sins  and  the 
covering  of  iniquity  has  a  special  meaning  for  Israel 
as  a  nation.  The  foundation  upon  which  this  future 
work  of  Grace  for  His  earthly  people  rests  is  the 
death  of  Christ.  Our  blessed  Lord  "died  for  that 
nation"  as  He  also  died  for  us  who  are  sinners  of  the 


132  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

Gentiles  (John  xi.  50).  Up  to  now  the  transgression 
of  the  Jewish  people  is  not  yet  finished  nor  is  for 
them  an  end  made  of  sins.  The  death  of  Christ  has 
made  this  possible  for  the  nation,  but  before  it  be- 
comes a  reality  this  period  of  time,  490  years,  must 
have  passed,  and  when  they  are  accomplished  the 
transgression  of  His  people  will  be  finished  and  all 
the  other  blessings  will  come  upon  them.  That 
will  be  according  to  other  Scriptures  when  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles  end  and  when  the  Son  of 
Man,  the  rejected  One,  appears  the  second  time. 
Then  "He  shall  turn  away  ungodliness  from  Jacob" 
and  "will  take  away  their  sins"  (Rem.  xi.  26-27). 
Many  passages  in  the  prophetic  Word  reveal  the 
same  promises  of  national  cleansing  and  forgive- 
ness, into  which  we  cannot  enter  more  fully.  We 
see  at  once  that  the  blessings  promised  here  to 
Daniel's  people  and  to  the  holy  city  refer  us  to  the 
time  when  the  Son  of  Man  is  manifested,  the  time 
when  the  remnant  of  the  nation  shall  look  upon 
Him  whom  they  have  pierced  (Zech.  xii.). 

At  the  same  time  when  God  will  be  merciful  to 
His  people  and  cover  their  iniquity  "the  righteous- 
ness of  the  ages"  will  be  brought  in.  This  means 
the  beginning  of  that  age  of  blessing,  which  in  the 
New  Testament  is  called  "the  dispensation  of  the 
fullness  of  times"  (Ephes.  i.  10)  in  which  the  King 
shall  reign  in  righteousness.  Then  righteousness 
will  be  established  upon  this  earth  and  the  holy  city, 
as  Gabriel  calls  Jerusalem,  will  not  only  be  a  sharer 
of  the  blessings  and  glory,  but  will  herself  be 
righteous.     It  is  written  of  Jerusalem  "afterward 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  133 

thou  shalt  be  called,  The  City  of  righteousness" 
(Isaiah  i.  26).  Still  greater  is  Jeremiah's  word  he 
received  from  the  Lord  concerning  that  day  when 
the  righteousness  of  the  ages  has  come. 

Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will 
perform  that  good  thing  which  I  have  promised  unto 
the  house  of  Israel  and  to  the  house  of  Judah.  In 
those  days,  and  at  that  time,  will  I  cause  the  Branch 
of  righteousness  to  grow  up  unto  David;  and  he  shall 
execute  judgment  and  righteousness  in  the  land.  In 
those  days  shall  Judah  be  saved,  and  Jerusalem  shall 
dwell  safely:  and  this  is  the  name  wherewith  she  shall 
be  called,  The  Lord  our  righteousness  (Jeremiah 
xxxiii,  14-16), 

The  vision  and  prophet  will  be  sealed,  that  is 
accredited,  because  their  final  accomplishment  has 
been  reached  in  these  events  of  blessing  for  God's 
earthly  people.  Also  the  Holy  of  Holies  will  be 
anointed,  a  statement  which  many  have  applied  to 
our  Lord.  It  has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  Him, 
but  it  is  the  anointing  of  the  Holy  of  Holies  in  an- 
other temple,  which  will  stand  in  the  midst  of 
Jerusalem.  Of  this  great  millennial  temple  the 
prophetic  Word  is  not  silent.  The  other  great 
prophet  of  the  captivity,  Ezekiel,  had  a  great  vision 
of  this  temple  and  its  worship. 

It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  grasp  the 
thought  that  these  things  have  nothing  to  do  with 
Gentiles  or  with  the  church.  They  concern  Daniel's 
people,  the  Jevs^s  and  Jerusalem.  If  this  had  been 
understood  the  learned  commentators  would  not 
have  invented  that  misleading,  blundering  interpre- 


134  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

tation  of  the  seventy  weeks  prophecy  which  is  so 
universally  taught  in  our  day.  We  shall  touch  upon 
these  errors  in  the  course  of  our  exposition. 

The  Division  of  the  Seventy  Weeks.  After  the 
general  announcement  of  the  seventy  sevens  and 
what  is  to  be  accomplished  for  Jerusalem  and 
Daniel's  people  when  this  prophetic  period  of  time 
expires,  Gabriel  gives  further  information  to  the 
Prophet.  This  information  is  introduced  by  the 
exhortation  to  know  and  to  understand  or  to  dis- 
criminate. What  follows  is  the  division  of  the 
seventy  weeks  into  three  parts.  The  first  part 
consists  of  seven  year  weeks,  that  is  49  years. 
The  second  part  consists  of  sixty-two  weeks 
or  434  years,  then  there  is  one  week,  the  seventieth, 
left,  which  gives  us  the  third  part. 

The  Beginning  of  the  Seventy  Weeks.  We  have 
to  ascertain  in  examining  the  prophetic  history  of 
lihese  different  divisions  when  the  sev<enty  year 
weeks  began.  If  we  were  to  touch  upon  the  differ- 
ent views  and  explanations,  which  haA^e  been  made 
on  this  point  we  would  have  to  fill  numerous  pages. 
One  is  reminded  of  Job  xxxviii.  2  in  reading  the 
theories  of  commentators,  "Who  is  this  that  dark- 
eneth  counsel  by  words  without  knowledge?"  The 
text  is  very  plain.  We  read  the  definite  beginning 
in  verse  25.  It  is  when  the  command  was  to  be 
given  to  restore  and  build  Jerusalem.  From  that 
time  to  Messiah  the  Prince  are  to  be  seven  weeks 
and  sixty-two  weeks,  that  is  483  years.  Now  it  is 
wrong  to  reckon  these  70  year  weeks  from  the  time 
Daniel  prayed  or  from  the  time  Cyrus  gave  per- 


THE  PROPHET  DANIED  135 

mission  for  the  people  to  return  and  to  build  the 
temple.  In  Ezra  chapter  i.  we  read  that  it  was  in 
the  first  year  of  Cyrus,  King  of  Persia,  that  the 
Lord  stirred  him  up,  whose  coming  and  work  Isaiah 
had  announced  long  before  his  birth.  Signifi- 
cant is  the  proclamation,  which  Cyrus  sent  forth. 
But  it  has  only  to  do  with  the  building  of 
the  temple  in  Jerusalem.  ''The  Lord  of  heaven 
has  given  me  all  the  Kingdoms  of  the  earth;  and 
He  hath  charged  me  to  build  Him  a  house  at  Jerusa- 
lem, which  is  in  Judah.''  But  this  edict  is  not  the 
starting  point  of  the  70  year  weeks,  for  they  are  to 
begin  with  the  word  to  restore  and  build  the  city 
itself.  But  in  the  Book  of  Ezra  also  we  find  in 
chapter  vii.  what  happened  in  the  reign  of  Arta- 
xerxes.  King  of  Persia,  known  in  history  as 
Artaxerxes  Longimanus  in  the  seventh  year  of  his 
reign.  Another  edict  was  issued,  but  a  careful 
reading  will  show  that  the  command  to  restore  and 
build  Jerusalem  was  not  given  in  the  seventh  year 
of  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes.  We  have  to  turn  to  the 
second  chapter  in  Nehemiah's  writings  to  discover 
the  beginning  of  these  seventy  year  weeks.  Then 
in  the  twentieth  year  of  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes 
the  command  was  given  to  restore  and  build  Jeru- 
salem. From  this  time  then  the  seventy  year  weeks 
must  be  reckoned.  This  20th  year  of  Artaxerxes 
was  the  year  445  B.  C,  which  is  proven  historically. 
The  year  Is  not  alone  mentioned  in  Nehemlah  ii. 
but  also  the  month.  It  was  in  Nisan.  The  seventy 
year  weeks  began  therefore  in  the  month  of  Nisan 
445  B.  C. 


136  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

When  we  read  that  "the  street  and  the  wall 
shall  be  built  again,  even  in  troublous  time"  and 
then  up  to  the  time  when  Messiah  is  to  be  cut  off, 
it  should  be  62  year  weeks  (434  years),  we  have 
the  time  revealed  how  long  it  would  take  to  restore 
the  city,  namely  7  year  weeks,  49  years. 

A  Remarkable  Prediction.  We  have  then  before 
us  a  remarkable  prediction.  The  exact  number  of 
years  are  given  when  Messiah  the  Prince,  He  who 
is  the  Hope  of  His  people  Israel,  should  appear. 
But  still  more  remarkable  is  the  fact  that  a  certain 
event  of  His  life  on  earth  is  predicted.  It  is  not 
His  birth  which  is  to  take  place  after  the  expiration 
of  the  69  year  weeks,  but  He  is  to  be  "cut  off  and 
shall  have  nothing."  It  is  a  prediction  of  His  death 
on  the  cross.  It  remains  to  be  seen  if  this  has 
found  its  literal  fulfillment  and  if  Messiah  died  at 
the  time  when  the  483  years  reckoned  from  the 
month  Nisan  445  B.  C.  had  expired.  Before  we  do 
so  we  must  call  here  attention  to  the  pernicious 
critics  of  the  Book  of  Daniel  and  their  methods. 

We  have  seen  before  that  because  the  critics  do 
not  v/ant  to  believe  that  it  is  possible  to  predict 
far  off  events,  such  as  are  written  in  Daniel,  the 
career  and  death  of  Alexander,  the  work  of  Anti- 
ochus  Epiphanes  and  others,  they  invented  an 
imaginary  pious  Jew  (pious  fraud)  who  wrote  the 
Book  of  Daniel  after  Antiochus  Epiphanes  had  been 
on  the  scene.  Now  if  this  were  true  and  such  a 
"pious  Jew"  and  not  Daniel  wrote  this  book,  how 
can  it  be  explained  that  after  all  there  is  a  prediction 
made  which  clearly  points  to  the  death  of  Christ 


THE   PROPHET  DANIEL  137 

and  which  also  outlines  the  result  upon  the  city  of 
Jerusalem,  that  the  people  of  the  Prince  to  come 
are  to  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary?  These 
gentlemen,  whose  habit  is  to  deny,  solved  the  dif- 
ficulty here  by  denying  absolutely  that  the  person 
called  "  Messiah  the  Prince  "  is  Christ.  What  dis- 
honest methods,  juggling  and  twisting  of  words 
they  have  used  to  reach  this  conclusion  would  be 
amusing,  if  it  w^e  not  so  sad.  Chief  among  those 
is  Dean  Farrar  on  Daniel.*  We  quote  from  his 
book: 

"  An  anointed  one  shall  be  cut  off."    There  can  be  no 

reasonnble  donbt  that  this  is  a  reference  to  the  deposi- 
tion of  the  high  priest  Onias  III,  and  his  murder  by 
Adronicus  (b.  c).  This  startling  event  is  men- 
tioned in  2  Mace.  iv.  34,  and  by  Josephus,  and  in  Daniel 
xi.  22.  It  is  added  "  and  no  ...  to  him."  Perhaps 
the  word  helper"  (xi.  45)  has  fallen  out  of  the  text,  as 
Graetz  supposes;  or  the  words  may  mean  "there  is  no 
(priest)  for  it  (the  people)."  The  A.  V.  renders  it  but 
not  for  himself";  and  in  the  margin  "and  shall  have 
nothing";  or  "and  they  (the  Jews))  shall  be  no  more 
his  people."  The  R.  V.  renders  it  "and  shall  have 
nothing."  I  believe  with  Dr.  Joel  that,  in  the  Hebrew 
words  "  veeyn  lo  "  there  may  be  a  sort  of  cryptographic 
allusion  to  the  name  Onias.  "The  people  of  the  com- 
ing prince  shall  devastate  the  city  and  the  sanctuary 
(translation  uncertain).  This  is  an  obvious  allusion 
to  the  destruction  and  massacre  inflicted  on  Jerusalem 
by  Appollonius  and  the  army  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes 

*  The  plates  of  this  work  were  lately  imported  by  so-called 
publishers  of  "  Christian  "  literature  to  be  sold  in  very  cheap 
editions  for  use  in  S.  Schools  and  Bible  classes.  Thus  the 
most  dangerous  infidelity  is  circulated  among  the  young  and 
no  voice  seems  to  be  raised  against  it. 


I3S  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL; 

(b.  C.  167),  Antiochus  is  called  the  prince  that  shall 
come  "because  he  was  at  Rome  when  Onias  III  was 
murdered." 

But  enough  of  this;  the  way  these  men  try  to 
avoid  the  truth  and  by  their  reasoning  methods  try 
to  get  rid  of  everything  God's  people  have  believed 
in  the  past,  is  sufficient  to  show  what  spirit  stands 
behind  them. 

The  Evidence  that  "  Messiah  the  Prince "  is 
Christ,  The  question  then  is  do  the  words  "  Mes- 
siah the  Prince  "  the  One  who  is  to  be  cut  off  and 
nothing  for  him,  really  mean  Christ  or  some  other 
anointed  one,  as  the  critics  claim?  The  evidence 
that  it  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  furnished  in 
the  most  remarkable  fulfillment  of  the  prophecy  in 
the  time  when  our  Lord  came  to  Jerusalem  the  last 
time  before  His  passion.  Exactly  483  years  after 
the  command  to  restore  and  build  Jerusalem  had 
been  given,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  entered  into  Jeru- 
salem to  present  Himself  and  His  claims ;  a  few 
days  after  He  was  nailed  to  the  cross.  This  has 
been  shown  in  a  perfect  chronological  way  so  that  it 
is  beyond  even  the  shadow  of  a  doubt.  We  give  an 
extract  from  *'  Daniel  in  the  Critics'  Den  "  *  which 
shows  this  fact. 

If,  therefore,  the  vision  be  a  Divine  prophecy,  an  era 
of  "  Sixty-nine  weeks "  that  is  483  prophetic  years, 
reckoned  from  the  14th  of  March,  b.  c,  445,  should 

*The  volume  by  Sir  Robert  Anderson  "Daniel  in  the 
Critics'  Den"  is  good.  We  heartily  recommend  it  to  our 
readers  who  may  order  through  us. 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  139 

close  with  the  public  presentation  and  death  of  «  Mes- 
siah the  Prince."    No  student  of  the  Gospels  can  fail  to 
see  that  the  Lord's  last  visit  to  Jerusalem  was  not  only 
m    fact,   but  in  intention   the   crisis   of   His   ministry 
From  the  time  that  the  accredited  leaders  of  the  nation 
had  rejected  His  Messianic  claims.  He  had  avoided  all 
public  recognition  of  those  claims.     But  now  His  testi- 
mony had  been  fully  given,   and  the  purpose  of  His 
entry   mto    the    capital    was    to    openly   proclaim    His 
Messiahship    and    to    receive    His    doom.    Even    His 
apostles  themselves  had  again  and  again  been  charged 
that  they  should  not  make  Him  known;  but  now  He 
accepted  the  acclamations  of  the  whole  multitude  of  the 
disciples.    And    when    the     Pharisees    protested,     He 
silenced  them  with  the  indignant  rebuke,  "I  tell  you 
that  if  these  should  hold  their  peace  the  stones  would 
immediately  cry  out."    These  words  can  only  mean  that 
the  divinely  appointed  time  had  arrived  for  the  public 
announcement  of  His  Messiahship,  and  that  the  Divme 
purpose  could  not  be  thwarted.    The  full  significance 
of  the  words  which  follow  is  lost  in  our  Authorised 
Version.    As    the    cry    was    raised    by    His    disciples, 
Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David,  blessed  is  the  King  of 
Israel   that   cometh  in   the   Name  of  the  Lord"    He 
looked  off  towards  the  Holy  City  and  exclaime'd,  "If 
thou   also   hadst  known,   even   ON   THIS   DAY    the 
things  that  belong  to  thy  peace-but  now  they  are  hid 
from  thine  eyes!"    The  nation  had  already  rejected 
Him.  but  this  was  the  fateful  day  when  their  decision 
must  be  irrevocable.    And  we  are  expressly  told  that 
It  was  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy,  "Shout  O  daughter 
of  Jerusalem;  behold  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee."    It 
was  the  only  occasion  on  which  His  kingly  claims  were 
pubHcly  announced. 

And  no  other  day  in  all  His  ministry  will  satisfy  the 

words  of  Daniel's  vision.    And  the  date  of  that  first 

Pahn  Sunday"  can  be  ascertained  with  certaintv.    No 


140  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

year  in  the  whole  field  of  ancient  history  is  more  defi- 
nitely indicated  than  that  of  the  beginning  of  our  Lord's 
public  ministry.  According  to  the  Evangelist  it  was 
"the  fifteenth  year  of  Tiberius  Caesar."  (Luke  iii.  i). 
Now  the  reign  of  Tiberius,  as  beginning  from  August 
19,  A.  D.  14,  was  as  well  known  a  date  in  the  time  of 
Luke  as  the  reign  of  Queen  Victoria  is  in  our  own  day. 
The  Evangelist,  moreover,  with  a  prophetic  anticipation 
of  the  perverseness  of  expositors  and  "  reconcilers " 
goes  on  to  name  six  prominent  public  men  as  holding 
specified  positions  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  Tiberius,  and 
each  one  of  these  is  known  to  have  actually  held  the 
position  thus  assigned  to  him  in  the  year  in  question. 
As,  therefore,  the  first  Passover  of  the  Lord's  minis- 
try was  that  of  Nisan  a.  d.  29,  the  date  of  the  Passion 
is  thus  fixed  by  Scripture  itself.  For  it  is  no  longer 
necessary  to  offer  proof  that  the  crucifixion  took  place 
at  the  fourth  Passover  of  the  ministry.  According  to 
the  Jewish  custom,  our  Lord  went  up  to  Jerusalem 
on  the  8th  Nisan,  which,  as  we  know,  fell  that  year 
upon  a  Friday.  And  having  spent  the  Sabbath  at 
Bethany,  He  entered  the  Holy  City  the  following  day, 
as  recorded  in  the  Gospels.  The  Julian  date  of  that 
loth  Nisan  was  Sunday  the  6th  of  April,  a.  d.  32. 
What  then  was  the  length  of  the  period  intervening 
between  the  issuing  of  the  decree  to  rebuild  Jerusalem 
and  this  public  advent  of  "Messiah  the  Prince" — be- 
tween the  14th  of  March,  b.  c.  445  and  the  6th  of  April 
A.  D.  ^2  (when  He  entered  into  Jerusalem)  ?  THE  IN- 
TERVAL WAS  EXACTLY  AND  TO  THE  VERY 
DAY  173,  880  DAYS,  OR  SEVEN  TIMES  SIXTY 
NINE  PROPHETIC  YEARS  OF  360  DAYS).* 

*From  B.  c.  445  to  A.  d.  32  is  476  years  =  173.740  days 
(476X365)-!- 1 16  days  for  leap  years.  And  from  14th  March 
to  6th  April,  reckoned  inclusively  according  to  Jewish  prac- 
tice) is  24  days.  But  173,74^+1 16-^-24=173,880.  And  69 
X  7X360=173,880. 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  141 

Here  then  is  perfect  evidence  that  "  Messiah  the 
Prince,"  who  was  to  be  "cut  off  and  shall  have  noth- 
ing "  is  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  He  appeared  in 
Jerusalem  on  exactly  the  day  on  which  the  69 
prophetic  year  weeks  expired  and  a  few  days  later 
He  was  put  to  death  on  the  cross.  No  wonder  the 
critics  invent  all  kinds  of  schemes  and  interpreta- 
tions to  get  rid,  so  to  speak,  of  this  powerful  evi- 
dence of  revelation. 

The  Hebrew  phrase  "  veeyn  lo  "  translated  in  the 
authorized  version,  but  not  for  Himself,  is  better 
rendered  by  ''  and  shall  have  nothing."  It  has  been 
interpreted  in  different  ways.  We  believe  it  means 
that  He  did  not  receive  then  the  Messianic  kingdom. 
He  was  rejected  by  His  own  and  received  not  that 
which  belongs  to  Him. 

The  Destruction  of  the  City  Predicted.  Linked 
with  the  cutting  off  of  Messiah  is  another  remark- 
able prophecy.  "  And  the  people  of  the  prince  that 
shall  come  shall  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary; 
and  the  end  thereof  shall  be  with  an  overflow,  and 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  here  that  in  reckoning  years 
from  B.  c.  to  A.  D.  one  year  must  always  be  omitted ;  for,  of 
course,  the  interval  between  b.  c.  i  and  a.  d.  i  is  not  two 
years  but  one  year.  In  fact  B.  c.  i  ought  to  be  called  b.  c.  0; 
and  it  is  so  described  by  astronomers,  with  whom  b.  c.  445  is 
—444-  And  again,  as  the  Julian  year  is  11  m.  10.46  s.,  or 
about  the  129th  part  of  a  day,  longer  than  the  mean  solar 
year,  the  Julian  calendar  has  three  leap  years  too  many  in 
every  four  centuries.  This  error  is  corrected  by  the  Gre- 
gorian reform,  which  reckons  three  secular  years  out  of  four 
as  common  years.  For  instance,  1700,  1800,  and  1900  were 
common  years,  and  2000  will  be  a  leap  year. 


142  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

unto  the  end  v/ar — the  desolations  determined." 
Judgment  according  to  this  is  to  overtake  the  city 
which  rejected  the  ^Messiah  and  both  the  city  and 
the  Temple  were  to  be  destroyed.  This  work  was 
to  be  done  *'  by  the  people  of  the  prince  that  shall 
come."  The  prince  of  course  is  not  "  Messiah  the 
Prince,"  it  is  a  prince  that  shall  come.  But  he  him- 
self is  not  to  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary,  but 
the  people  from  whose  midst  that  coming  prince  is 
to  arise,  will  do  the  destructive  work.  Now  the 
people  who  are  here  in  view  are  the  Romans.  Out 
of  the  Roman  empire  there  shall  arise  in  the  future 
a  prince.  This  prince  or  chief  of  the  fourth  empire 
is  identical  with  the  little  horn  of  Daniel  vii.  Once 
more  the  head  of  the  restored  Roman  em-pire  as  it  is 
to  be  during  the  time  of  the  end  looms  up  before 
us  in  the  last  two  verses  of  this  chapter.  The 
people  of  the  coming  prince,  the  Romans,  were  to 
come  and  destroy  both  city  and  temple,  after 
Messiah  had  been  cut  off  and  had  nothing  for  Him- 
self. And  this  came  to  pass  as  everybody  knows. 
Our  Lord  had  predicted  this  doom  of  Jerusalem  and 
had  wept  over  it  as  He  beheld  the  awful  doom  in 
store  for  the  city.  The  Jews  had  anticipated  what 
would  com.e  for  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  de- 
clared "  The  Romans  will  come  and  take  away  both 
our  place  and  our  nation."  (John  xi.  48.)  The 
Romans  under  Titus  V^spasianus  in  the  year  70  ful- 
filled this  prediction  and  in  that  year  the  prophecy 
before  us  became  history.  But  Titus  is  not  "  the 
prince  that  shall  come." 
The    Future    of    the    Jews    Foretold.    Another 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  143 

prophecy  is  linked  with  the  one  just  examined. 
''  The  end  thereof  shall  be  with  an  overflow,  and 
unto  the  end  war — the  desolations  determined." 
These  words  give  us  the  history  of  the  Jewish 
people,  of  their  land  and  their  city,  up  to  the  present 
time.  It  is  identical  with  what  our  Lord  said,  "  and 
they  shall  fall  by  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and  shall 
be  led  away  captive  into  all  nations ;  and  Jerusalem 
shall  be  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles  until  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles  are  fulfilled."  (Luke  xxi.  24.) 
Both  the  prediction  as  communicated  to  Daniel  by 
Gabriel  and  the  words  of  our  Lord  tell  of  what  is  to 
be  the  lot  of  the  Jews  and  of  Jerusalem  throughout 
this  present  age,  till  the  end  of  the  times  of  the  Gen- 
tiles has  been  reached.  History  gives  the  answer 
about  the  fulfillment  of  these  words. 

The  Seventieth  Year  Week.  We  have  found  up 
to  this  point  that  69  weeks  or  483  years  of  the  70 
year  weeks  are  past.  But  what  about  the  remaining 
7  years,  the  Seventieth  week?  The  last  verse  of 
Chapter  ix  tells  us  of  that  one  week.  It  has  not 
yet  come,  but  still  lies  in  the  future. 

The  course  of  the  70  year  weeks  was  interrupted 
by  the  rejection  of  Messiah  the  Prince,  who  came 
to  His  own  and  they  received  Him  not.  With  this 
event,  as  we  have  seen,  the  69th  week  closed  and 
an  indefinite  period  of  unreckoned  time  follows; 
when  that  is  expired  the  last  prophetic  week  of 
seven  years  will  begin  and  run  its  appointed  course. 

A  close  scrutiny  of  the  26th  verse  will  make  this 
clear.  While  we  know  that  the  Messiah  was  cut 
off  immediately  upon  the  close  of  the  69th  week, 


144  ^THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

nothing  is  said  about  the  time  when  the  destruction 

of  the  city  and  the  sanctuary  should  take  place. 
History  tells  us  it  transpired  38  years  after  the  death 
of  Christ.  Wars  should  continue  to  the  end,  but  not 
a  word  is  said  when  that  end  is  to  come.  The  one 
week,  that  is  the  Seventieth  week,  is  mentioned  in 
the  verse  which  follows  this  prediction,  it  comes 
therefore  after  this  long  interval  has  terminated. 

This  unreckoned  period  of  time  at  the  close  of  the 
69th  week  has  already  lasted  almost  1900  years. 
During  this  time  the  Jewish  people  have  been  scat- 
tered among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  and  the 
predicted  miseries  written  in  their  own  law  and  in 
the  prophets  have  been  fulfilled  in  every  generation. 
Yet  God  has  preserved  them  not  alone  physically 
but  also  as  a  distinct  race,  even  as  our  Lord  an- 
nounced when  He  spoke  of  the  events  of  the  last 
week  of  Daniel  in  His  Olivet  Discourse  (Matthew 
xxiv.).  "This  generation  (race)  shall  not  pass,  till 
all  these  things  be  fulfilled." 

During  this  unreckoned  period  of  time  God  has 
made  known  by  revelation  the  blessed  mystery  of 
eternity,  a  mystery  not  made  known  in  other  ages, 
concerning  the  church.  There  is  now  being  gath- 
ered out  from  the  nations  a  people  for  His  Name 
and  the  church  is  still  building.  The  Gospel  is  be- 
ing heralded  world-wide.  The  heavens,  however, 
are  closed  and  this  unreckoned  period  of  time  lead- 
ing up  to  the  end  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  runs 
its  appointed  course.  As  we  do  not  write  on  this 
present  and,  in  the  Old  Testament,  unrevealed  age 
and  its  characteristics,  we  must  turn  our  attention 
to  the  events  recorded  in  verse  27. 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  145 

Who  Confirms  a  Covenant?  The  first  thing  we 
read  is  ''  And  he  shall  confirm  a  (not  the)  covenant 
with  the  many  for  one  week."  We  must  remind 
ourselves  again  that  all  we  read  here  concerns,  as 
did  the  previous  69  weeks,  Daniel's  people,  the  Jews. 
When  that  last  week  of  seven  years  begins,  preced- 
ing the  time  of  ultimate  blessing  for  the  Jewish 
people,  one  will  make  a  covenant  with  the  mass  of 
Jews.  The  question  arises,  who  then  is  this  person 
and  what  is  the  covenant  he  makes? 

We  mentioned  before  an  erroneous  view,  which 
holds  that  everything  predicted  in  these  70  weeks 
has  been  fulfilled  in  the  past.  The  view  holds  that 
Messiah  the  Prince,  the  one  who  was  cut  off,  is  our 
Lord.  However,  the  teaching  is  that  "  the  prince 
that  shall  come  "  is  also  Christ  and  that  it  is  Christ 
Himself  who  confirms  the  covenant  in  the  last  week. 
We  quote  Dr.  Pusey  who  dek^ered  a  series  of  very 
learned  lectures  on  Daniel  at  Oxford,  and  whose 
book  on  Daniel  is  considered  an  authority: 

Not  in,  but  after,  these  Sixty-two  weeks,  it  is  said, 
Messiah  shall  be  cut  off.  Then  follows  the  subdivision 
of  the  last  week  (verse  27)  or  seven  years,  wherein  he 
was  to  be  cut  off,  and  yet  not  in  the  Sixty-nine  weeks. 
He  shall  make  then  a  covenant  with  many  for  one 
week  and  in  the  midst  of  the  week  he  shall  cause  the 
sacrifice  and  oblation  to  cease.* 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  believed  to  be  the  one 
who  makes  the  covenant.  The  cessation  of  the 
sacrifice  and  oblation  in  the  midst  of  the  week  is 
explained  as  having  been  accomplished  by  His  death 
on  the  cross.  But  such  a  view  is  altogether  un- 
tenable.   According  to  this  widely  accepted  theory 

*  Pusey,  Daniel,  page  176. 


146  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

Christ  made  a  covenant  for  seven  years.  Where  is 
this  stated  elsewhere  in  Scripture?  Nowhere  is 
there  even  a  hint  that  Christ  was  to  confirm  a 
covenant  with  many  for  seven  years,  but  His 
covenant  is  an  everlasting  one.  The  error  springs 
from  the  fact  that  the  future  of  the  Jewish  people  is 
not  considered  and  the  teaching  of  what  is  yet  to  be 
in  the  time  of  the  end  is  completely  passed  by. 

The  one  who  confirms  the  covenant  with  the 
many  for  one  week  is  "  the  prince  that  shall  come  " 
of  verse  26.  The  prince  that  shall  come,  as  we  have 
seen,  rises  from  the  people  who  destroyed  the  city 
and  the  sanctuary,  the  Roman  people.  The  prince 
that  shall  come  is  the  dreadful  little  horn  on  the 
fourth  beast  (the  Roman  empire),  the  great  head  of 
the  Roman  empire  seen  as  the  Beast  out  of  the  Sea 
in  Revelation  xiii.  When  the  last  seven  years,  so 
pregnant  with  Jewish  events,  begin,  the  first  thing 
will  be  that  the  Jews  look  for  protection  to  the  great 
Man,  who  as  a  might}^  prince  controls  the  affairs  of 
the  Romian  empire  brought  together  under  him  as 
head.  The  aim  of  the  Jews  is  to  repossess  Pales- 
tine, to  have  a  Jewish  state  and  to  gain  possession 
of  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  so  that  they  may  be  able  to 
have  a  temple  and  their  sacrificial  ceremonies  again. 
Zionism  is  the  step  towards  such  a  restoration  in 
unbelief,  the  first  beginnings  of  it.  This  coming 
prince,  the  beast,  will  take  the  Jews  and  their  de- 
sires into  consideration,  perhaps  he  needs  them  too 
in  the  beginning  of  his  career.  He  will  make  a 
covenant  w^ith  them  and  under  this  covenant,  most 
likely,  they  will  be  permitted  to  possess  Palestine 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  147 

and  to  build  a  temple  in  Jerusalem.  He  will  also 
promise  them  protection  against  any  outside  foes, 
especially  the  one  who  threateningly  arises  in  the 
North,  the  Assyrian  of  Prophecy. 

This  covenant  the  Roman  prince  will  make  with 
the  many,  not  with  all  the  Jev/s.  Throughout  the 
prophetic  Word  we  find  the  clearest  evidences  of  a 
remnant  of  Jews,  who  trusting  in  the  Lord,  will  see 
through  this  wicked  prince  and  refuse  to  have  any- 
thing whatever  to  do  vv'ith  that  covenant.  Isaiah 
xxviii.  15  and  18  speak  of  this  covenant.  It  is  there 
called  a  covenant  with  death  and  an  agreement  with 
hell. 

After  the  first  three  and  one-half  years  of  this  last 
prophetic  week  are  gone,  he  will  break  the  covenant 
by  causing  the  sacrifice  and  oblation  to  cease.  From 
the  Book  of  Revelation  we  learn  that  at  that  time 
he  will  become  possessed  by  the  power  of  Satan. 
In  fellowship  with  the  second  beast,  the  false 
prophet,  the  personal  Antichrist,  who  is  in  Jeru- 
salem, he  introduces  idolatry  and  the  most  awful 
blasphemies  among  the  Jews.  All  the  temple  cere- 
monials, sacrifices  and  oblations  will  have  to  be 
abandoned.  The  apostate  nation  will  accept  the 
Antichrist  as  their  Messiah  and  king  and  fall  in 
line  with  these  blasphemies.  Then  the  char- 
acter of  the  little  horn  and  what  was  said  of  him 
will  fully  come  out.  "  He  shall  speak  great  words 
against  the  most  High,  and  shall  wear  out  the  Saints 
of  the  most  High  (the  Jews  who  refused  to  enter 
his  covenant),  and  think  to  change  times  and  laws, 
and  they  shall  be  given  into  his  hands  until  a  time 


148  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

and  times  and  the  dividing  of  time."  (Three  and 
one-half  years — Daniel  vii.  25).  *'And  there  was 
given  unto  him  a  mouth  speaking  great  things  and 
blasphemies,  and  power  was  given  unto  him  to  con- 
tinue forty-two  months"  (Rev.  xiii.  5).  This 
shows  the  work  he  will  do  for  1260  days,  42  months, 
33^  years,  the  last  half  of  the  Seventieth  week.  The 
part  of  the  personal  Antichrist  in  these  1260  days 
the  3}/2  years  is  described  in  Revel,  xiii.  11-17.  An 
image  of  the  first  beast,  the  wicked  head  of  the 
Roman  power  will  be  set  up  and  the  great  idol  en- 
dued with  supernatural,  satanic  power  must  be 
worshipped  under  the  penalty  of  death.  Antichrist 
him.self,  this  wicked  counterfeit  of  the  true  Christ, 
takes  a  place  in  the  temple  of  God  and  by  lying 
wonders  shews  himself  that  he  is  God  and  exalting 
himself  above  all  that  is  God  and  that  is  v/orshipped. 
Then  the  great  tribulation  will  be  in  force  and  the 
Jewish  faithful  remnant  will  pass  through  the  deep- 
est waters  of  suffering.  In  the  details  of  all  this  we 
must  not  enter  at  this  time  for  it  would  make  it  nec- 
essary that  we  follow  the  greater  part  of  the  Book 
of  Revelation  in  v/hich  we  have  the  fuller  descrip- 
tion of  the  last  half  of  the  Seventieth  week  of 
Daniel's  prophecy,  as  well  as  the  first  3]/^  years. 

We  have  still  something  unexplained  in  the  last 
verse  of  our  chapter.  We  read  "and  because  of  the 
protection  (lit.  wing)  of  abominations  there  shall  be 
a  desolator,  even  until  the  consummation  and  what 
is  determined  shall  be  poured  out  upon  the  desola- 
tor." We  shall  not  weary  our  readers  with  giving 
them  the  different  views  and  opinions  on  this  seem- 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEU  149 

ingly  difficult  passage.  The  abominations  men- 
tioned are  idols  and  idol  worship.  The  protection, 
or  wing,  of  these  idols  is  sought  by  the  people  and 
God  is  completely  forgotten  and  set  aside  by  the 
apostate  masses,  who  bow  before  the  Antichrist. 
The  fulfillment  of  the  words  of  our  Lord  in  Mat- 
thew has  come: 

When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man,  he 
walketh  through  dry  places,  seeking  rest,  and  findcth 
none.  Then  he  saith,  I  will  return  into  my  house  from 
whence  I  came  out;  and  when  he  is  come,  he  findeth 
it  empty,  swept,  and  garnished.  Then  goeth  he,  and 
taketh  with  himself  seven  other  spirits  more  wicked 
than  himself,  and  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there:  and 
the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worse  than  the  first.  Even 
so  shall  it  be  also  unto  this  wicked  generation  (Matth. 
xii;  43-45). 

The  wicked  spirit,  idolatry,  will  take  hold  of  them 
and  they  v/ill  be  swept  along  into  the  worst 
blasphemies  and  worship  Satan's  masterpiece. 
On  account  of  this  abomination  "  there  shall 
be  a  desolator,"  one  who  desolates  the  land.  This 
desolator  will  continue  to  plague  the  Jews  from  the 
outside,  while  the  Antichrist  is  with  them  in  Jeru- 
salem. The  desolator  will  devastate  the  land  and 
cdnquer  Jerusalem  till  the  consummation  is  reached. 
The  consummation  is  the  close  of  the  seven  years. 
When  that  is  reached  the  desolator  himself  will  be 
dealt  with  in  judgment  as  well  as  the  two  beasts. 
Who  is  the  desolator?  The  King  of  the  North,  the 
Assyrian  of  the  endtime ;  he  is  the  one  of  whom  we 
read  in  the  previous  chapter  and  whose  terrible 


ISO  THE   PROPHET    DANIEL 

work  against  the  apostate  nation  is  here  once  more 
touched  upon  as  falling  into  the  second  half  of  the 
last  prophetic  week. 

It  is  interesting  to  compare  the  two  Nev/  Testa- 
ment records  which  give  a  larger  vision  of  the 
events  of  the  seven  years  which  are  in  store  for 
Daniel's  people  and  the  Holy  City,  before  the  full 
blessing  for  the  remnant  of  this  people  and  for  Jeru- 
salem can  come.  These  records  are  Matthew  xxiv. 
and  that  part  of  Revelation  which  treats  of  these 
coming  events,  Chapters  vi.-xix.  The  reader  will 
find  this  followed  out  in  our  exposition  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  Matthew.* 

And  how  far  is  the  beginning  of  this  last  week  of 
Daniel  from  our  times?  No  one  can  give  an  an- 
swer. God  only  knows  how  soon  all  will  come  to 
pass.  However,  there  is  a  sign  present  with  us 
which  is  very  significant.  It  is  the  restoration 
movement  of  the  Jews  and  their  inability  to  carry 
out  the  plans  and  schemes  for  their  complete  re- 
storation. They  are  waiting  for  *'  the  Prince  that 
shall  come."  It  behooves  us  to  wait  and  watch. 
The  days  of  God's  Saints  may  be  very  few  on  earth. 
The  last  and  next  great  event  in  the  unreckoned 
period  of  time,  between  the  69th  and  70th  week,  is 
the  coming  of  the  Lord  for  His  Saints  and  that  is 
imminent. 

*  Gospel  of  Matthew  by  A.  C.  G.,  $1.50  postpaid. 


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49  years  later  the  street  and  wall  built. 

Artaxerxes  in  the  month  Nisan  gives  edict  to 
rebuild  Jerusalem  445  B.  C. 


CHAPTER    X 
The  Preparation  for  the  Final  Prophecy 

The  three  remaining  chapters  in  the  Book  of 
Daniel  belong  together.  They  contain  the  last 
great  vision  given  to  the  aged  prophet,  a  vision, 
which  in  some  respects  is  even  more  striking  than 
the  preceding  one.  The  tenth  chapter  contains  the 
account  of  the  deep  soul  exercise  through  which  the 
prophet  passed  and  how  supernatural  Beings  ap- 
peared and  talked  to  the  man  greatly  beloved.  It 
is  the  preparation  for  the  vision  itself  contained  in 
the  eleventh  chapter,  continued  in  the  twelfth, 
which  forms  a  kind  of  an  epilogue. 

The  chapter  before  us  is  of  great  interest,  because 
it  gives  information  which  is  of  m.uch  value  about 
the  unseen  spirits,  good  and  evil,  while  other  even 
more  helpful  spiritual  lessons  are  to  be  found  here. 

The  Third  Year  of  Cyrus.  The  first  verse  tells 
us  of  the  exact  time  when  Daniel  received  this  last 
great  revelation. 

In  the  third  year  of  Cyrus  king  of  Persia  a  thing  was 
revealed  unto  Daniel,  whose  name  was  called  Belteshaz- 
zar;  and  the  thing  was  true,  but  the  time  appointed 
was  long  :*  and  he  understood  the  thing,  and  had  under- 
standing of  the  vision. 

*This  phrase  is  a  faulty  translation;  the  literal  Hebrew  is 
"even  great  warfare." 

151 


152  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

Cyrus,  the  great  King  of  Persia,  was  already  in 
the  third  year  of  his  reign.  In  his  first  year  Cyrus 
had  published  the  great  proclamation  in  which  he 
had  given  the  astounding  information  that  "the 
Lord  God  of  heaven"  had  charged  him  to  build  him 
a  house  in  Jerusalem  (Ezra  i.).  That  he  was  the 
divinely  chosen  instrument  for  this  purpose  we 
learned  before  from  Isaiah's  great  prophecy  in 
which  long  before  his  birth  he  had  been  named  and 
his  work  predicted.  Daniel,  however,  had  not 
made  use  of  the  decree  to  return  and  he  still  re- 
mained in  the  scene  of  captivity.  Probably  he  held 
no  longer  any  high  office  in  connection  with  the  gov- 
ernment. The  last  verse  in  the  first  chapter  seems 
to  indicate  this.  There  it  is  stated  that  he  con- 
tinued unto  the  first  year  of  King  Cyrus;  it  must 
mean  in  practical  association  with  the  affairs  of  the 
Persian  Kingdom.  Why  Daniel  stayed  behind  is 
not  stated.  Though  the  decree  had  gone  forth 
that  the  house  should  be  built,  there  was  a  feeble 
response  and  a  small  number  only  returned.  No 
doubt  Daniel  looking  for  new  revelations  concerning 
the  time  of  the  end,  had  waited  on  the  Lord  and  had 
received  the  direction  to  tarry  in  the  land  of  the 
Gentiles.  The  Lord  had  still  some  important 
visions  for  him  in  store  relating  to  His  own  people. 
Now  the  thing,  which  was  made  known  unto  him 
was  "the  great  warfare"  (the  literal  Hebrew)  and 
that  great  warfare  in  the  near  future  and  what  is  to 
take  place  in  the  distant  future  when  Daniel's  people 
should  be  delivered  (xii.  1)  is  the  subject  of  this 
final  vision  given  to  Daniel  before  he  went  to  his 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  153 

rest.  As  we  shall  find  the  vision  stands  in  closest 
relation  with  that  contained  in  Chapter  viii.  It  is 
an  expansion  of  that  vision,  containing  the  prophetic 
record  of  the  overthrow  of  the  Persian  empire  by 
Greece  and  the  minutest  details  of  the  wars  of  the 
Ptolemies  and  Seleucidae,  springing  up  out  of  the 
divided  Grecian  empire.  Now  while  at  the  close  of 
Chapter  viii.  it  is  written  that  Daniel  fainted  and 
"none  understood,"  here  we  find  that  he  had  the 
understanding  given  to  him.  May  it  not  be  that 
Daniel  continued  in  prayer  after  God  had  so  won- 
derfully answered  his  former  prayer  in  the  preced- 
ing chapter?  As  none  understood  the  vision  in 
Chapter  viii.,  Daniel  must  have  asked  the  Lord  for 
the  understanding  and  then  it  was  revealed  to  him. 
We  read  furthermore  that  for  three  weeks  he  was 
mourning  in  connection  with  his  earnest  seeking  for 
the  meaning  of  the  vision  and  he  also  fasted. 

In  those  days  I  Daniel  was  mourning  three  full 
weeks.  I  ate  no  pleasant  bread,  neither  came  flesh  nor 
wine  in  my  mouth,  neither  did  I  anoint  myself  at  all, 
till  three  whole  weeks  were  fulfilled. 

The  weeks  mentioned  here  are  not  "year  weeks," 
but  the  Hebrew  distinguishes  them  by  associating 
with  them  days,  literally  "weeks  of  days."  For 
three  weeks  he  remained  in  that  condition  and  there 
was  no  answer.  What  delayed  the  answer  for  three 
full  weeks  we  shall  discover  in  the  course  of  this 
chapter. 

In  the  fourth  verse  the  time  and  the  place  are 
specified,  when  and  where  all  this  took  place.     On 


154  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL! 

the  twenty-fourth  day  of  the  first  month  Daniel  was 
by  the  side  of  the  great  river  Hiddekel.  Hiddekel 
(arcadian,  Iddiklat)  is  the  river  Tigris  and  on  its 
banks  the  prophet  was  bodily  present. 

The  Appearance  of  "A  Certain  Man."  It  was  at 
that  time  when  Daniel,  verbose  eyes  had  been  down- 
cast, lifted  them  up  and  beheld  a  supernatural  Being 
in  his  presence. 

And  on  the  four  and  twentieth  day  of  the  first  month, 
as  I  was  by  the  side  of  the  great  river,  which  is 
Hiddekel;  Then  I  lifted  up  mine  eyes,  and  looked, 
and  beheld  a  certain  man  clothed  in  linen,  whose  loins 
were  girded  with  fine  gold  of  Uphaz :  His  body  also  was 
like  the  beryl,  and  his  face  as  the  appearance  of 
lightning,  and  his  eyes  as  lamps  of  fire,  and  his  arms 
and  his  feet  like  in  colour  to  polished  brass,  and  the 
voice  of  his  words  like  the  voice  of  a  multitude.  And  I 
Daniel  alone  saw  the  vision:  for  the  men  that  were 
with  me  saw  not  the  vision;  but  a  great  quaking  fell 
upon  them,  so  that  they  fled  to  hide  themselves. 
Therefore  I  was  left  alone,  and  saw  this  great  vision, 
and  there  remained  no  strength  in  me :  for  my  comeli- 
ness was  turned  in  me  to  corruption,  and  I  retained  no 
strength.  Yet  heard  I  the  voice  of  his  words:  and 
when  I  heard  the  voice  of  his  words,  then  was  I  in  a 
deep  sleep  on  my  face,  and  my  face  toward  the  ground 
(verses  4-9). 

The  question  is  who  was  this  "certain  man,'*  or  as 
it  reads  literally  in  Hebrew,  "a  man  of  desires"? 
Some  believed  it  was  Gabriel  who  appeared  once 
more,  as  he  had  come  to  Daniel  in  Chapters  viii.  and 
ix.  Others  have  taught  it  was  another  mighty 
angel.     While   a   few   expositors   of  this   chapter 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  155 

have  taught  that  it  was  none  other  than  the  Lord 
Himself  who  paid  a  visit  to  the  Prophet,  just  as  He 
came  in  the  form  of  a  Man  to  Abraham  (Genesis 
xviii).  We  incline  to  this  view  and  believe  that  the 
greatly  beloved  man  was  favored  with  a  Theophany. 
Those  who  object  to  this  view  point  to  the  thir- 
teenth verse  where  one  declares  that  he  was  hin- 
dered and  needed  the  help  of  the  archangel  Michael. 
But  it  is  not  necessary  at  all  to  identify  the  speaker 
of  verse  13  with  the  one  who  at  first  appeared  unto 
Daniel.  If  it  were  the  same  who  tells  Daniel  that 
he  had  to  call  upon  Michael  for  help,  He  certainly 
could  not  have  been  the  Lord;  He  needs  no  help 
from  any  creature,  though  he  be  the  archangel. 
However,  it  is  quite  clear  that  the  appearing  of  the 
Being  described  by  Daniel  in  verses  4-9  is  no  longer 
in  view  in  the  tenth  verse.  The  one  who  touches 
Daniel  and  addressed  him  is  no  longer  He  whose 
form  He  beheld,  in  whose  presence  He  stood  alone, 
before  whom  he  laid  prostrate  in  the  dust  and  whose 
voice  he  had  heard  when  he  had  fallen  in  a  deep 
sleep. 

The  evidence  that  we  have  here  an  appearing  of 
God  the  Son  before  His  incarnation,  in  the  form  of  a 
Man,  a  great  Christophany,  is  very  convincing. 
Daniel  was  blessed  as  the  man  greatly  beloved  with 
a  manifestation  of  the  Lord  of  Glory,  just  as  the 
beloved  disciple  John,  over  600  years  later,  was 
likewise  permitted  to  see  the  same  Lord  of  Glory. 
There  is  only  one  difference.  Daniel  saw  Him  be- 
fore His  incarnation  and  John  beheld  Him  in  the 
island  of  Patmos  after  His  death,  triumphant  resur- 


156  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

rection  and  ascension  into  Glory.  Both,  however, 
are  strikingly  alike.  In  Revelation  i.  12-17  we  find 
the  manifestation,  which  is  so  much  like  the  one 
Daniel  had  on  the  river  banks  of  Hiddekel.  Any- 
one comparing  this  Scripture  with  Daniel's  record 
of  what  he  saw  must  feel  convinced  that  it  is  one 
and  the  same  person.  And  there  is  also  a  hint  in 
connection  with  that  vision  of  Glory,  which  Saul  of 
Tarsus  had  on  the  road  to  Damascus.  The  men 
that  were  with  Daniel  saw  not  the  vision,  but  a 
great  fear  came  upon  them  and  they  fled.  The  com- 
panions of  Saul  were  likewise  filled  with  terror 
''hearing  a  voice,  but  seeing  no  man"  (Acts  ix.  7). 

The  effect  of  this  great  manifestation  upon  Daniel 
was  the  same  which  happened  to  John.  "And  when 
I  saw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead"  (Revel,  i.  17). 
Daniel  also  was  on  his  face  toward  the  ground  and 
his  comeliness  was  turned  in  him  into  corruption. 
The  deep  sleep  which  overcame  him  corresponds 
to  the  term  "as  dead"  in  John's  experience. 

What  lessons  there  are  for  us  here.  We  may 
see  here  the  blessedness  of  the  faith  life  in  its  prog- 
ress. Daniel  began  as  the  lad,  the  young  captive 
in  Babylon  with  the  simple  purpose  of  faith.  God 
sustained  him  and  blessed  him  with  wisdom  and  un- 
derstanding. This  was  the  lesson  concerning  faith 
we  found  in  the  first  chapter.  Then  when  Neb- 
uchadnezzar had  forgotten  his  dream,  Daniel 
acted  in  faith,  when  he  promised  to  make  the  dream 
known  and  wHen  he  and  his  companion  cast  them- 
selves upon  the  Lord,  the  dream  was  revealed  unto 
him,    God  thus  honored  his  faith.    Then  he  talked 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  157 

with  angels.  Visions  came  to  him.  Gabriel  ap- 
peared next  and  afterwards  was  sent  ''flying 
swiftly"  with  the  great  message  to  Daniel.  And 
now  after  Daniel's  prayer  and  fasting,  the  Lord 
Himself  appeared  to  the  Prophet,  who  had  been  so 
faithful.    Thus  he  went  "from  Glory  to  Glory." 

Yet  though  he  was  the  man  greatly  beloved  and 
enjoyed  the  favor  of  the  Lord  to  a  high  degree, 
though  he  had  been  such  a  faithful  servant  for  so 
many  years  and  honored  the  Lord  as  but  few  of  the 
great  men  of  God  have  done,  when  he  comes  face  to 
face  with  the  Lord  of  Glory,  he  utterly  collapses  and 
sinks  into  the  dust  in  His  holy  and  glorious  pres- 
ence. And  that  is  the  place  which  belongs  to  every 
saint,  even  the  most  advanced  in  spiritual  knowl- 
edge and  the  most  self-sacrificing  in  service.  In 
His  presence  we  must  own  our  utter  nothingless 
and  unworthiness. 

The  Mystery  of  the  Delayed  Answer.  And  now 
other  angelic  beings  under  the  Lord  of  Glory  are 
manifested  and  speak  to  Daniel,  one  of  them,  no 
doubtj  was  Gabriel. 

And,  behold,  an  hand  touched  me,  which  set  me 
upon  my  knees  and  upon  the  palms  of  my  hands.  And 
he  said  unto  me,  O  Daniel,  a  man  greatly  beloved, 
understand  the  words  that  I  speak  unto  thee,  and  stand 
upright:  for  unto  thee  am  I  now  sent.  And  when  he 
had  spoken  this  word  unto  me,  I  stood  trembling. 
Then  said  he  unto  me,  Fear  not  Daniel :  for  from  the 
first  day  that  thou  didst  set  thine  heart  to  understand, 
and  to  chasten  thyself  before  thy  God,  thy  words  were 
heard,  and  I  am  come  for  thy  words.  But  the  prince 
of  the  kingdom  of  Persia  withstood  me  one  and  twenty 


158  THE  PROPHET  DANIEU 

days;  but,  lo,  Michael,  one  of  the  chief  princes,  came 
to  help  me;  and  I  remained  there  with  the  kings  of 
Persia.  Now  I  am  come  to  make  thee  understand  what 
shall  befall  thy  people  in  the  latter  days:  for  yet  the 
vision  is  for  many  days.  And  when  he  had  spoken 
such  words  unto  me,  I  set  my  face  toward  the  ground, 
and  I  became  dumb  (verses  10-15). 

Without  following  every  detail  of  the  experience, 
which  Daniel  here  records,  we  turn  at  once  to  that 
which  is  the  important  information  in  these  words. 
The  heavenly  visitor  who  addressed  Daniel  as  a 
"man  greatly  beloved"  and  before  whom  he  stood 
trembling,  still  shaking  on  account  of  the  One  he 
had  beheld  at  the  river  bank,  now  brings  him  in- 
telligence concerning  the  delayed  answer.  Three 
weeks  before  Daniel  had  begun  to  chasten  and  set 
himself  to  understand,  three  weeks  he  had  sought 
the  answer  to  his  prayer,  but  no  answer  reached 
him.  The  heavens  seemed  to  be  closed.  How  dif- 
ferent it  was  from  his  experience  in  the  preceding 
chapter.  Then  he  was  not  even  permitted  to  finish 
his  prayer.  His  prayer  of  humiliation  and  confes- 
sion was  suddenly  answered  by  the  man  Gabriel. 
And  now  three  full  weeks  had  gone  and  there  had 
been  no  answer  to  his  prayer. 

The  same  messenger  now  tells  Daniel  that  as  soon 
as  he  had  begun  his  exercise  on  earth,  his  words, 
that  is,  his  prayers  were  heard.  Blessed  comfort 
there  is  in  this  assuring  word!  As  soon  as  we  ap- 
proach the  throne  of  Grace  and  approach  it  now  in 
this  present  dispensation  in  "that  worthy  Name," 
our  words  are  heard.  And  should  that  not  be  suffi- 
cient?   May  it  not  be  the  very  best  after  all  not  to 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  159 

trouble  ourselves  so  much  about  the  answer  to 
prayer  as  some  Christians  do?  We  can  leave  the 
answer  with  Him  "who  does  all  things  well,"  and 
acts  as  it  pleases  Him.  "Thy  prayer  is  heard"  is 
sweet  to  faith. 

And  the  messenger  assured  Daniel  that  he  has 
come  with  the  answer.  But  why  was  he  three  full 
weeks  late  in  transmitting  to  Daniel  the  message? 
The  answer  was  delayed  by  the  Prince  on  the  King- 
dom of  Persia,  who  withstood  him  for  exactly  three 
full  weeks  and  so  great  was  the  power  of  the  Prince 
of  Persia  that  the  help  of  the  mighty  archangel 
Michael  was  needed  to  help  him  through. 

Who  then  is  the  Prince  of  the  Kingdom  of  Persia? 
Certainly  no  one  would  believe  that  the  Prince  of 
Persia  here  means  Cyrus.*  Who  could  for  a  mo- 
ment think  that  a  mere  human  being,  though  a 
mighty  prince,  could  intercept  a  spirit  being  with  a 
message  from  above!  But  if  it  is  not  the  actual 
Prince  of  Persia,  who  then  is  it  who  withstood  God's 
messenger?    It  was  a  powerful  wicked  spirit,  who 

*However  some  of  the  so-called  learned  commentators  claim 
that  Cyrus  is  meant.  Here  is  Adam  Clarke's  comment:  I 
think  it  would  go  far  to  make  a  legend,  or  a  precarious  tale, 
of  this  important  place,  to  endeavor  to  maintain  that  either 
a  good  or  evil  angel  is  intended  here.  Cyrus  alone  was  the 
prince  of  Persia,  and  God  had  destined  him  to  be  the  deliverer 
of  His  people:  but  there  were  some  matters,  of  which  we 
are  not  informed,  that  caused  him  to  hesitate  for  some  time. 
Fearing  probably  the  greatness  of  the  work,  and  not  being 
fully  satisfied  of  his  ability  to  execute  it;  he  therefore  for 
a  time  resisted  the  secret  inspirations  which  God  had  sent 
him.  The  opposition  might  be  in  reference  to  the  building  of 
the  Temple. 


i6o  THE  PROPHET  DANIEIj 

controlled  as  a  messenger  of  Satan  the  affairs  of  the 
Kingdom  of  Persia.  Satan  is  the  head  of  innumer- 
able fallen  angels.  As  the  "god  of  this  age"  he 
controls  the  affairs  of  the  Kingdoms  of  this  world 
and  the  wicked  spirits  in  the  heavenly  sphere  are  his 
agents  by  whom  he  effects  this  control.  Satan  is 
not  omnipotent,  nor  omniscient  nor  omnipresent, 
but  through  the  wicked  spirits,  who  are  under  him, 
he  is  well  nigh  omnipresent  and  omniscient.  In 
Ephesians  vi.  12,  they  are  called  "the  world  rulers 
of  this  darkness"  (this  age).  Satan  did  not  speak 
an  untruth  when  he  told  our  Lord  on  the  moun- 
tain of  temptation,  that  he  had  the  Kingdoms  of  the 
world  in  his  power,  that  they  were  his.  They  are 
still  in  his  mighty  grasp,  till  some  day  he  will  be 
stripped  of  these  possessions. 

Now  over  each  Kingdom  he  puts  some  evil  spirit 
to  exercise  his  influence.  He  himself  as  the  prince 
of  the  power  in  the  air  is  above  them  all  and  stands 
behind  all  these  agencies.  This  is  seen  from  other 
Scriptures.  For  instance  in  Ezekiel  xxviii.  11-19, 
we  have  a  word  addressed  to  the  King  of  Tyrus.  In 
connection  with  that  King  a  description  is  given  of 
another  being,  who  stood  behind  that  King  as  the 
controlling  power,  and  that  description  fits  only  one, 
Satan. 

The  power  and  domain  of  Satan  is  in  the  heavens, 
right  above  the  earth  and  upon  the  earth  as  well. 
From  above  and  through  the  evil  angels  he  still  has 
hold  on  the  Kingdoms  of  the  earth.  And  so  it  was 
that  over  the  Kingdom  of  Persia  a  fallen  angel,  one 
who  belongs  to  the  principalities  and  powers  men- 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  i6i 

tioned  in  Ephesians,  had  charge.    This  being  with- 
stood the  messenger  for  three  weeks.     There  was 
conflict  in  the  air.    The  great  archangel  Michael  (as 
we  know  from  the  New  Testament  the  only  arch- 
angel  of  the   Bible)    had   come  to   the   assistance 
of  the  messenger.     This  is  the  first  time  we  find 
Michael  mentioned  in  the  Bible.    It  is  not  the  first 
time  that  he  acted,  for  from  the  Epistle  of  Jude  we 
know,  that  when  Moses  had  died,  Michael  was  pres- 
ent and  faced  the  devil  then.     We  find  him  gen- 
erally in  connection  with  the  Jewish  people.    He  is, 
so  to  speak,  the  guardian  angel  of  Israel.    "And  at 
that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great  prince 
which   standeth   for  the   children   of  Thy   people" 
(Dan.  xii.  1).    This  passage  tells  that  at  some  future 
time  this  mighty  Archangel  will  stand  up  for  the 
Jewish  people.     When  that  will  be  we  shall  find 
when  we  read  the  last  chapter  of  this  Book.     A 
great  conflict  in  the  heavenlies  will  yet  take  place 
when  Michael  and  his  angels  will  fight  the  dragon 
and  the  evil  angels  associated  with  him  (Revel,  xii.). 
Some  teach  that  Michael   (his  name  means  *'who 
is  like  God?")    is  our  Lord.     But  this  cannot  be 
maintained  in  the  light  of  the  Epistle  of  Jude  (see 
verse  9).     What  power  Satan  must  possess  when 
he  was  enabled  through  a  demon  prince  to  hold 
God's   messenger   in   check   and   keep   back   God's 
message  1"^    Here  are  some  mysterious  things.    Why 
he  is  still  allowed  to  do  this  work  in  Kingdoms, 

*We  recommend  to  our  friends  a  very  helpful  book  on 
"Satan  and  His  Power,"  by  F.  C  Jennings.  Publ.  by  "Our 
Hope/'  8o  Second  Street,  N.  Y. 


i62  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

is  responsible  for  the  bloody  wars  among  the  nations 
and  for  the  abominable  things  in  idolatrous  heathen- 
dom, we  do  not  fully  understand  now.  But  the  pas- 
sage gives  us  a  hint  how  in  our  individual  lives  as 
believers,  he  too  does  interfere  and  with  his  many 
adversaries  attacks  and  harasses.  On  the  other 
hand  there  is  the  comfort  that  there  are  the  good 
angels,  who  keep  and  defend  those  who  are  the 
Lord's.  "  Are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent 
forth  to  minister  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of 
salvation?  "  (Hebrews  i.  14).  Some  day  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Lord  we  shall  fully  know  the  secret 
things  of  the  unseen  spirits,  both  good  and  evil. 

An  Important  Statement.  An  important  state- 
ment is  made  by  the  messenger  when  he  declares 
that  he  has  come  to  tell  Daniel  and  make  him  under- 
stand "  what  shall  befall  Thy  people  (the  Jews)  in 
the  latter  days  (or :  the  end  of  days)  ;  for  the  vision 
is  yet  for  many  days  (or :  for  those  days)  "  (verse 
14).  This  ought  to  settle  once  and  for  all  the  scope 
of  this  final  vision.  While  it  has  for  a  prelude,  as 
5ve  shall  find,  the  wars  which  were  fought  by  the 
Ptolemies  and  otheis  and  we  behold  a  still  more 
minute  description  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  yet 
the  vision  concerns  the  Jewish  people  in  the  time 
of  the  end  (the  seventieth  week,  more  correctly  the 
last  3y2  years).  What  is  to  befall  them  at  that 
time  is  brought  out.  If  this  had  been  understood 
expositors  would  never  have  fallen  into  the  fanciful 
and  erroneous  interpretations,  which  claim  that  it 
concerns  the  church  and  that  the  papacy  is  the  Anti- 
christ. 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL!  163 

When  the  messenger  had  concluded  we  behold 
the  venerable  prophet  with  face  toward  the  ground 
and  speechless.  It  is  the  attitude  of  deep  humility 
and  his  willingness  to  listen  only. 

The  Prophet  Strengthened  to  Receive  the  Vision. 
Messengers  of  God  appear  now  and  they  strength- 
ened the  aged  servant  and  prophet. 

And,  behold,  one  like  the  similitude  of  the  sons  of 
men  touched  my  lips:  then  I  opened  my  mouth,  and 
spake,  and  said  unto  him  that  stood  before  me,  O  my 
lord,  by  the  vision  my  sorrows  are  turned  upon  me, 
and  I  have  retained  no  strength.  For  how  can  the 
servant  of  this  my  lord  talk  with  this  my  lord?  for  as 
for  me,  straightway  there  remained  no  strength  in  me, 
neither  is  there  breath  left  in  me.  Then  there  came 
again  and  touched  me  one  like  the  appearance  of  a  man, 
and  he  strengthened  me.  And  said,  O  man  greatly  be- 
loved, fear  not:  peace  be  unto  thee,  be  strong,  yea,  be 
strong.  And  when  he  had  spoken  unto  me,  I  was 
strengthened,  and  said.  Let  my  lord  speak;  for  thou 
hast  strengthened  me.  Then  said  he,  Knowest  thou 
wherefore  I  come  unto  thee?  and  now  will  I  return  to 
fight  with  the  prince  of  Persia:  and  when  I  am  gone 
forth,  lo,  the  prince  of  Grecia  shall  come.  But  I  will 
shew  thee  that  which  is  noted  in  the  scripture  of  truth: 
and  there  is  none  that  holdeth  with  me  in  these  things, 
but  Michael  your  prince  (verses  16-21). 

First  the  prophet's  lips  are  touched  (compare  with 
Isaiah  vii.  6-7)  and  then  he  is  enabled  to  speak. 
The  first  utterance  which  comes  from  these  opened 
lips  since  the  great  vision  had  passed  before  him, 
is  the  expression  of  his  great  weakness  and  that 
he  retained  no  strength.  He  was  overwhelmed  with 
holy  awe  so  that  no  strength  was  left  in  him.    And 


i64  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

this  place  of  utter  weakness  is  the  place  of  blessing. 
Again  he  is  touched.  The  first  touch  meant  the 
opening  of  the  prophet's  lips  and  after  his  confes- 
sion of  weakness  the  second  touch  by  which  he  was 
strengthened.  And  if  a  servant  of  God  like  Daniel 
needed  such  exercise  how  needful  it  is  for  us. 

Then  he  received  the  message  of  peace  and  com- 
fort. Fear  not ;  Peace  be  unto  thee,  be  strong,  yea 
be  strong.  And  when  he  had  spoken  unto  me,  I 
^\^as  strengthened.  His  mind  and  heart  was  brought 
to  rest  and  all  his  fears  were  silenced.  Such  per- 
fect rest  and  quietness  was  needed  for  Daniel  to 
receive  the  prophecy  and  to  understand  the  vision. 
It  is  needed  by  all  who  desire  to  lay  hold  of  the 
things  of  God  relating  to  the  future.  The  child  of 
God  who  is  in  unrest  and  is  not  close  to  the  Lord 
is  unfitted  to  understand  the  prophetic  Word.  And 
this  is  one  of  the  reasons,  why  there  is  so  little 
desire  to  know  what  God  has  revealed  concerning 
the  future.  The  heart  which  does  not  enjoy  the 
peace  of  God  cannot  enjoy  the  blessed  things  God 
has  made  known  in  prophecy. 

Daniel,  like  young  Samuel,  said  "  let  my  Lord 
speak."  The  messenger  intimates  that  he  will  re- 
turn to  fight  with  the  prince  of  Persia  and  then  the 
prince  of  Grecia  was  likewise  to  follow.  He  an- 
nounces that  he  will  now  show  the  prophet  what 
is  noted  in  "  Kitab  Emeth,"  the  "  Scriptures  of 
Truth."  This  remarkable  expression  refers  not 
to  some  unwritten  book,  as  some  have  taken  it,  but 
to  an  actual  writing,  as  the  Hebrew  expresses  it, 
"  Writing  of  Truth."    It  is  the  name  given  by  this 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  165 

messenger  of  God  to  the  Book  which  under  the 
inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  written  by- 
Daniel.  In  what  light  the  critics  appear,  who  are 
denying  the  inspiration  of  this  book  and  who  class 
its  sublime  revelations  with  myths  and  legends ! 

Persia  and  Greece  being  mentioned  by  the  angel 
directs  us  to  the  vision  itself  as  contained  in  chapter 
xi.  From  the  conflict  which  is  indicated  between 
the  evil  spirits  and  God's  messengers  and  Michael, 
the  defender  of  the  Jewish  people,  we  may  gather 
again  what  is  going  on  in  the  unseen  world  in  con- 
nection with  the  struggles  on  earth. 


CHAPTER  XI 

The  Wars  of  the  Ptolemies  and  Seleucidae  Pre- 
dicted. The  Coming  Events  of  the  Time  of  the 
End 

If  there  is  to  be  a  division  into  chapters  at  all, 
it  is  evident  that  the  first  verse  of  the  eleventh 
chapter  belongs  to  the  preceding  one.  There  should 
be  no  break  whatever.  With  the  second  verse  the 
great  prophecy  begins.  Here  we  have  indeed  his- 
tory prewritten  and  the  greater  part  of  this  chapter 
(verses  2-35)  is  fulfilled  historically.  So  accurate 
are  these  predictions  and  their  subsequent  fulfill- 
ment that  the  enemies  of  "  the  Scripture  of  Truth  " 
have  declared  that  it  could  never  have  been  written 
by  Daniel  several  hundred  years  before  these  per- 
sons came  into  existence  and  fought  their  battles. 
The  pagan  Porphyry  in  the  third  century  in  his 
"  Treatise  against  Christians  "  bitterly  attacked  the 
belief  that  Daniel  wrote  these  predictions.  He 
argued  that  all  was  written  after  the  events  had 
taken  place.  The  same  arguments  are  used  by  the 
critics.  Such  is  this  most  subtle  infidelity  that  it 
can  make  use  of  the  statements  of  a  poor  heathen 
in  opposition  to  the  divine  revelation. 

166 


THE   PROPHET  DANIEL 


167 


If  we  were  to  enter  into  the  details  of  each  verse 
and  show  the  most  remarkable  historical  fulfillment 
we  would  have  to  fill  a  hundred  or  more  pages. 
This  we  cannot  do.  But  our  exposition  would  not 
be  complete  if  we  were  to  pass  it  over  entirely. 
We  shall  therefore  quote  the  text  and  show  opposite 
each  verse  a  brief  statement  on  how  the  predictioij 
was  fulfilled. 


Prophecy  Given  B.C.  534 

And  now  will  I  shew  thee 
the  truth.  Behold,  there 
shall  stand  up  yet  three 
kings  in  Persia;  and  the 
fourth  shall  be  far  richer 
than  they  all:  and  by  his 
strength  through  his  riches 
he  shall  stir  up  all  against 
the  realm  of  Grecia.  (Verse 
2.) 


Fulfillment 

See  Ezra  iv.  5-24.  The 
three  kings  were :  Ahasuerus, 
Artaxerxes  and  Darius, 
Known  in  history  as  Cam- 
byses,  Pseudo  Smerdis  and 
Darius  Hystaspis  (not 
Darius  the  Mede).  The 
fourth  one  was  Xerxes,  who, 
as  history  tells  us  was  im- 
mensely rich.  The  invasion 
of  Greece  took  place  in  480 
B.  c. 


And  a  mighty  king  shall 
^tand  up,  that  shall  rule  with 
great  dominion,  and  do  ac- 
cording to  his  will.  (Verse 
3.) 


And  when  he  shall  stand 
up,  his  kingdom  shall  be 
broken,  and  shall  be  divided 
toward  the  four  winds  of 
heaven;  and  not  to  his  pos- 


The  successors  of  Xerxes 
are  not  mentioned.  The 
mighty  king  in  this  verse  is 
the  notable  horn  seen  by 
Daniel  on  the  he-goat  in 
chapter  viii,  Alexander  the 
Great.    335  b.  c. 

B.  c.  323.  Alexander  died 
young.  The  notable  horn 
was  broken.  His  kingdom 
was  divided  into  four  parts 
(four  winds)  after  the  battle 


i6g 


THE   PROPHET  DANIEL 


Prophecy  Given  B.C.  534 

terity,  nor  according  to  his 
dominion  which  he  ruled: 
for  his  kingdom  shall  be 
plucked  up  even  for  others 
besides  those.     (Verse  4.) 


And  the  king  of  the  south 
shall  be  strong,  and  one  of 
his  princes;  and  he  shall  be 
strong  above  him,  and  have 
dominion ;  his  dominion 
shall  be  a  great  dominion. 
(Verse  5.). 


And  in  the  end  of  years 
they  shall  join  themselves  to- 
gether ;  for  the  king's  daugh- 
ter of  the  south  shall  come 
to  the  king  of  the  north  to 
make  an  agreement;  but  she 
shall  not  retain  the  power  of 
the  arm;  neither  shall  he 
stand,  nor  his  arm:  but  she 
shall  be  given  up,  and  they 
that  brought  her,  and  he 
that  begat  her,  and  he  that 
strengthened  her  in  these 
times.     (Verse  6.) 


Fulfillment 
of  Ipsus  301  B.  c.  His  pos- 
terity did  not  receive  the 
kingdom,  but  his  four  gen- 
erals, Ptolemy,  Lysimachus, 
Seleucus  Nicator  and  Cass- 
ander.  Not  one  of  these 
division  reached  to  the  glory 
of  Alexander's  dominion. 

Asia  and  Greece  are  not 
followed  but  Syria  and 
Egypt  become  prominent,  be- 
cause the  King  of  the 
North  from  Syria,  and  the 
King  of  the  South,  Egypt, 
were  to  come  in  touch  with 
the  Jews.  The  holy  land  be- 
came involved  with  both. 
The  King  of  the  South  was 
Ptolemy  Lagus.  One  of  his 
princes  was  Seleucus  Nica- 
tor. He  established  a  great 
dominion,  which  extended  to 
the  Indus. 

Here  is  another  gap.  This 
verse  takes  us  to  250  b.  c. 
The  two  who  make  an  alli- 
ance are  the  Kings  of  the 
North  (Syrian  division  of 
the  Grecian  Empire)  and  of 
the  South  (Egypt).  This 
alliance  was  effected  by  the 
marriage  of  the  daughter  of 
the  King  of  the  South,  the 
Egyptian  Princess  Berenice, 
daughter  of  Ptolemy  U.,  to 
Antiochus  Theos,  the  King 
of   the   North.     The   agree- 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 


169 


Prophecy  Given  B.C.  534 


But  out  of  a  branch  of  her 
roots  shall  one  stand  up  in 
his  estate,  which  shall  come 
with  an  army,  and  shall  enter 
into  the  fortress  of  the  king 
of  the  north,  and  shall  deal 
against  them,  and  shall  pre- 
vail.    (Verse  7.) 


And  shall  also  carry  cap- 
tives into  Egypt  their  gods, 
with  their  princes,  and  with 
their  precious  vessels  of  sil- 
ver and  gold;  and  he  shall 
continue  more  years  than  the 
king  of  the  north.  (Verse 
8.) 

So  the  King  of  the  South 
shall  come  into  his  kingdom, 
and  shall  return  into  his  own 
land.     (Verse  9.) 


Fulfillment 

ment  was  that  Antiochus 
had  to  divorce  his  wife  and 
make  any  child  of  Berenice 
his  heir  in  the  kingdom. 
The  agreement  ended  in 
calamity.  When  Ptolemy 
died  Antiochus  Theos  in  247 
called  back  his  former  wife. 
Berenice  and  her  young  son 
were  poisoned  and  the  first 
wife's  son,  Callinicus,  was 
put  on  the  throne  as  Seleu- 
cus  II. 

The  one  out  of  her  roots 
(Berenice,  who  had  been 
murdered)  was  her  own 
brother,  Ptolemy  Euergetes, 
who  avenged  her  death.  He 
conquered  Syria.  He  dealt 
against  Seleucus  II,  King  of 
the  North  and  slew  the  wife 
of  Antiochus  Theos, 
had  Berenice  poisoned, 
seized  the  fortress,  the  port 
of  Antioch. 

Ptolemy  Euergetes  did 
exactly  as  predicted.  He  re- 
turned with  4000  talents  of 
gold  and  40,000  talents  of 
silver  and  2500  idols  and 
idolatrous  vessels.  Many  of 
these  Cambyses  had  taken  to 
Persia. 

In  240  B.  c.  Seleucus  Cal- 
linicus the  King  of  the 
North  invaded  Egypt.  He 
had  to  return  defeated.     His 


who 
He 


I70 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 


Prophecy  Given  B.C.  534 

(Literal  translation)  :  "  and 
the  same  (King  of  the 
North)  shall  come  into  the 
realm  of  the  King  of  the 
South,  but  shall  return  into 
his  own  land." 

But  his  sons  shall  be 
stirred  up,  and  shall  as- 
semble a  multitude  of  great 
forces:  and  one  shall  cer- 
tainly come,  and  overflow, 
and  pass  through:  then  shall 
he  return,  and  be  stirred  up, 
even  to  his  fortress.   (Verse 

10.) 


Fulfillment 

fleet  perished  m  a  storm. 


And  the  King  of  the  South 
shall  be  moved  w^ith  choler, 
and  shall  come  forth  and 
fight  with  him,  even  with  the 
King  of  the  North:  and  he 
shall  set  forth  a  great  multi- 
tude but  the  multitude  shall 
be  given  into  his  hand. 
(Verse  ii.) 

And  when  he  hath  taken 
away  the  multitude,  his  heart 
shall  be  lifted  up;  and  he 
shall  cast  down  many  ten 
thousands:  but  he  shall  not 
be  strengthened  by  it.  (Verse 
W.) 


The  sons  of  Seleucus  Cal- 
linicus  were  Seleucus  III  and 
Antiochus  the  Great.  Seleu- 
cus (Ceraunos)  III  began 
war  against  Egyptian  Prov- 
inces in  Asia  Minor.  He 
was  unsuccessful.  The 
other  son  Antioch  invaded 
Egypt  and  passed  through 
because  Ptolemy  Philopater 
did  not  oppose  him.  b.  c. 
218  Antiochus  continued  his 
warfare  and  took  the  fort- 
ress Gaza. 

In  217  B.  C.  Ptolemy 
aroused  himself  and  fought 
Antiochus  the  Great  with  an 
immense  army.  He  defeated 
Antiochus.  The  multitude 
was  given  into  the  hands  of 
Ptolemy  Philopater. 


The  people  of  Egypt  rose 
up  and  the  weakling  Ptolemy 
became  courageous.  His  vic- 
tory is  again  referred  to.  It 
was  won  at  Raphia.  He 
might  have  pressed  his  vic- 
tory. But  he  did  not  make 
use   of  it  but  gave  himself 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 


171 


Prophecy  Given  B.C.  534 

(Literal:  "And  the  multi- 
tude shall  rise  up  and  his 
courage  increase,") 

For  the  King  of  the  North 
shall  return,  and  shall  set 
forth  a  multitude  greater 
than  the  former,  and  shall 
certainly  come  after  certain 
years  with  a  great  army  and 
with  much  riches.  (Verse 
13.) 


Fulfillment 

up  to  a  licentious  life.  Thus 
"he  was  not  strengthened 
by  it." 

About  14  years  later  203 
B.  C  Antiochus  assembled  a 
great  army,  greater  than  the 
army  which  was  defeated  at 
Raphia  and  turned  against 
Egypt.  Ptolemy  Philopater 
had  died  and  left  an  infant 
son  Ptolemy  Epiphanes. 


And  in  those  times  there 
shall  many  stand  up  against 
the  King  of  the  South:  also 
the  robbers  of  thy  people 
shall  exalt  themselves  to  es- 
tablish the  vision;  but  they 
shall  fall.    (Verse  14.) 


So  the  King  of  the  North 
shall  come,  and  cast  up  a 
mount,  and  take  the  most 
fenced  cities:  and  the  arms 
of  the  south  shall  not  with- 
stand, neither  his  chosen 
people,  neither  shall  there  be 
any  strength  to  withstand. 
(Verse  15.) 

But  he  that  cometh  against 
him  shall  do  according  to  his 


Antiochus  had  for  his  ally 
Phillip,  King  of  Macedon. 
Also  in  Egypt  many  rebels 
stood  up.  And  then  there 
were,  as  we  read  in  Josephus, 
wicked  Jews,  who  helped 
Antiochus.  These  "  robbers 
of  thy  people"  established 
the  vision.  They  helped 
along  the  very  things  which 
had  been  predicted,  as  to 
trials  for  them. 

All  this  was  fulfilled  in  the 
severe  struggles,  which  fol- 
lowed. 


The  invasion  of  the  glori- 
ous  land   by  Antiochus    fol- 


\*J2 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 


Prophecy  Given  B.C.  534 

own  will,  and  none  shall 
stand  before  him :  and  he 
shall  stand  in  the  glorious 
land,  which  by  his  hand  shall 
be  consumed.    (Verse  i6.) 


He  shall  also  set  his  face 
to  enter  with  the  strength  of 
his  whole  kingdom,  and  an 
agreement  shall  be  made 
with  him;  thus  shall  he  do: 
and  he  shall  give  him  the 
daughter  of  women,  corrupt- 
ing her:  but  she  shall  not 
stand  on  his  side,  neither  be 
for  him.     (Verse  17.) 


After  this  shall  he  turn 
his  face  unto  the  isles,  and 
shall  take  many :  but  a  prince 
(literally:  Captain)  for  his 
own  behalf  shall  cause  the 
reproach  offered  by  him  to 
cease;  without  his  own  re- 
proach he  shall  cause  it  to 
turned  upon  him.  (Verse 
18.) 

Then  he  shall  turn  his  face 
toward  the  fort  of  his  own 
land:  but  he  shall  stumble 
and  fall,  and  not  be  found. 
(Verse  19.) 


Fulfillment 

lowed.  He  subjected  the 
whole  land  unto  himself. 
He  also  was  well  disposed 
towards  the  Tews  because 
they  sided  with  Antiochus 
the  Great  against  Ptolemy 
Epiphanes. 

This  brings  us  to  the  years 
198-195  B.  C.  Antiochus 
aimed  to  get  full  possession 
of  Egypt.  An  agreement 
was  made.  In  this  treaty 
between  Antiochus  and  Pto- 
lemy Epiphanes,  Cleopatra, 
daughter  of  Antiochus  was 
espoused  to  Ptolemy.  Why 
is  Cleopatro  called  "  daugh- 
ter of  women?"  Because 
she  was  very  young  and  was 
under  the  care  of  her  mother 
and  grandmother.  The  treaty 
failed. 

A  few  years  later  Antio- 
chus conquered  isles  on  the 
coast  of  Asia  Minor. 

The  captain  predicted  is 
Scipio  Asiaticus.  Antiochus 
had  reproached  the  Romans 
by  his  acts  and  he  was  de- 
feated. This  defeat  took 
place  at  Magnesia  190  b.  c. 

Antiochus  returns  to  his 
own  land.  He  came  to  a 
miserable  end  trying  to 
plunder  the  temple  of  Belus 
in  Elymais. 


THE   PROPHET  DANIEL 


173 


Prophecy  Given  B.C.  534 

Then  shall  stand  up  in  his 
estate  a  raiser  of  taxes  in 
the  glory  of  the  kingdom : 
but  within  few  days  he  shall 
be  destroyed,  neither  in 
anger,  nor  in  battle.  (Verse 
20.) 


And  in  his  estate  shall 
stand  up  a  vile  person,  to 
whom  they  shall  not  give  the 
honour  of  the  kingdom :  but 
he  shall  come  in  peaceably, 
and  obtain  the  kingdom  by 
flatteries.     (Verse  21.) 


And  with  the  arms  of  a 
flood  shall  they  be  overflown 
from  before  him,  and  shall 
be  broken;  yea,  also  the 
prince  of  the  covenant. 
(Verse  22.) 

And  after  the  league  made 
with  him  he  shall  work  de- 
ceitfully: for  he  shall  come 
up,  and  shall  become  strong 
with  a  small  people.  (Verse 
23.) 

He  shall  enter  peaceably 
even  upon  the  fattest  places 
of  the  province ;  and  he  shall 
do  that  which  his  fathers 
have     not     done,     nor     his 


Fulfillment 

This  is  Seleucus  Philo- 
pater  b.  c.  187-176.  He  was 
known  as  a  raiser  of  taxes. 
He  had  an  evil  reputation 
with  the  Jews  because  he 
was  such  an  exactor  among 
them.  His  tax-collector 
Heliodorus  poisoned  him 
and  so  he  was  slain  "  neither: 
in  anger,  nor  in  battle." 

This  vile  person  is  none 
other  than  Antiochus  Epiph- 
anes.  He  had  no  claim  on 
royal  dignities  being  only  a 
younger  son  of  Antiochus 
the  Great.  He  seized  royal 
honors  by  trickery  and  with 
flatteries.  He  is  the  little 
horn  of  Chapter  viii. 

He  was  successful  in  de- 
feating his  enemies.  The 
prince  of  the  covenant  may 
mean  his  nephew  Ptolemy 
Philometor.  He  also  van- 
quished Philometor's  gen- 
erals. 

He  feigned  friendship  to 
young  Ptolemy  but  worked 
deceitfully.  To  allay  suspi- 
cion he  came  against  Egypt 
with  a  small  force  but  took 
Egypt  as  far  as  Memphis. 

He  took  possession  of  the 
fertile  places  in  Egypt  under 
the  pretense  of  peace.  He 
took  Pelusium  and  laid  siege 
to  the  fortified  places  Nau- 


174 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 


Prophecy  Given  B.C.  534 

father's  fathers;  he  shall 
scatter  among  them  the  prey, 
and  spoil,  and  riches:  yea, 
and  he  shall  forecast  his  de- 
vices against  the  strong 
holds,  even  for  a  time. 
(Verse  24.) 

And  he  shall  stir  up  his 
power  and  his  courage 
against  the  King  of  the 
South  with  a  great  army; 
and  the  King  of  the  South 
shall  be  stirred  up  to  battle 
with  a  very  great  and  mighty 
army;  but  he  shall  not 
stand:  for  they  shall  fore- 
cast devices  against  him. 
(Verse  25.) 

Yea,  they  that  feed  of  the 
portion  of  his  meat  shall 
destroy  him,  and  his  army 
shall  overflow :  and  many 
shall  fall  down  slain. 
(Verse  26.) 

And  both  these  kings' 
hearts  shall  be  to  do  mis- 
chief, and  they  shall  speak 
lies  at  one  table;  but  it  shall 
not  prosper:  for  yet  the  end 
shall  be  at  the  time  ap- 
pointed.    (Verse  27.) 


Then  shall  he  return  into 
his  land  with  great  riches; 
and  his  heart  shall  be  against 
the   holy   covenant;    and   he 


Fulfillment 
cratis  and  Alexandria. 


This  King  of  the  South  is 
Ptolemy  Physcon,  who  was 
made  king  after  Philometor 
had  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
Antiochus.  He  had  a  great 
army  but  did  not  succeed  be- 
cause treason  had  broken 
out  in  his  own  camp. 


Additional  actions  of  An- 
tiochus and  *  warfare,  in 
which  he  was  successful,  fol- 
lowed. 


The  two  kings  are  Antio- 
chus Epiphanes  and  his  as- 
sociate Philometor.  They 
made  an  alliance  against 
Ptolemy  Euergetes  II  also 
called  Physcon.  But  they 
spoke  lies  against  each  other 
and  did  not  succeed  in  their 
plans. 

In  168  B.  c.  he  returned 
from  his  expedition  and  had 
great  riches.  Then  he 
marched  through  Judea  and 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 


175 


Prophecy  Given  B.C.  534 

shall  do  exploits,  and  return 
to  his  own  land.  (Verse  28.) 


At  the  time  appointed  he 
shall  return,  and  come  to- 
ward the  south;  but  it  shall 
not  be  as  the  former,  or  as 
the  latter.     (Verse  29.) 

For  the  ships  of  Chittim 
shall  come  against  him: 
therefore  he  shall  be  grieved, 
and  return,  and  have  in- 
dignafion  against  the  holy- 
covenant  :  so  shall  he  do ;  he 
shall  even  return,  and  have 
intelligenct  with  them  that 
forsake  the  holy  covenant. 
(Verse  30.) 


Fulfillment 
did  his  awful  deeds.  A  re- 
port had  come  to  his  ears 
that  the  Jewish  people  had 
reported  him  dead.  In  the 
first  and  second  book  of  the 
Maccabees  we  read  of  his 
atrocities.  Then  he  retired 
to  Antioch. 

He  made  still  another  at- 
tempt against  the  south. 
However  he  had  not  the 
former  success. 

The  ships  of  Chittim  are 
the  Roman  fleet.  When 
within  a  few  miles  of  Alex- 
andria he  heard  -that  ships 
had  arrived.  He  went  to 
salute  them.  They  delivered 
to  him  the  letters  of  the  sen- 
ate, in  which  he  was  com- 
manded, on  pain  of  the  dis- 
pleasure of  the  Roman  peo- 
ple, to  put  an  end  to  the  war 
against  his  nephews.  Antio- 
chus  said,  "  he  would  go  and 
consult  his  friends;"  on 
which  Popilius,  one  of  the 
legates,  took  his  staff,  and 
instantly  drew  a  circle  round 
Antiochus  on  the  sand,  where 
he  stood ;  and  commanded 
him  not  to  pass  that  circle, 
till  he  had  given  a  definite 
answer.  As  a  grieved  and 
defeated  man  he  returned 
and  then  he  fell  upon  Judea 


176 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 


Prophecy  Given  B.C.  534 


And  arms  shall  stand  on 
his  part  and  they  shall 
pollute  the  sanctuary  of 
strength,  and  shall  take 
away  the  daily  sacrifice,  and 
they  shall  place  the  abomina- 
tion that  maketh  desolate. 
(Verse  31.) 


And  such  as  do  wickedly 
against  the  covenant  shall  he 
corrupt  by  flatteries :  but  the 
people  that  do  know  their 
God  shall  be  strong,  and  do 
exploits. 

And  they  that  understand 
among  the  people  shall  in- 
struct many :  yet  they  shall 
fall   by   the   sword,    and   by 


Fulfillment 

once  more  to  commit  addi- 
tional wickedness.  Apostate 
Jews  sided  with  him. 

This  brings  us  to  the 
climax  of  the  horrors  under 
Antiochus  Epiphanes.  The 
previous  record  of  it  is  con- 
tained in  Chapter  viii.  He 
sent  Apollonius  with  over 
20,000  men  to  destroy  Jeru- 
salem. Multitudes  were 
slain  and  women  and  chil- 
dren led  away  as  captives. 
He  issued  a  command  that 
all  people  must  conform  to 
the  idolatry  of  Greece.  A 
wicked  Grecian  was  sent  to 
enforce  the  word  of  Antio- 
chus. All  sacrifices  ceased 
and  the  God-given  cere- 
monials of  Judaism  cam.e  to 
an  end.  The  temple  was  pol- 
luted by  the  sacrifices  of 
swine's  flesh.  The  temple 
was  dedicated  to  Jupiter 
Olympius.  Thus  the  predic- 
tion was  fulfilled. 

These  verses  describe  the 
condition  among  the  Jewish 
people.  There  were  two 
classes.  Those  who  do  wick- 
edly against  the  covenant, 
the  apostate  and  those  who 
know  God,  a  faithful  rem- 
nant. The  apostates  sided 
with  the  enemy  and  the  peo- 
ple   who    know    God    were 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  177 

Prophecy  Given  B.C.  534  Fulfillment 

flame,    by   captivity,    and   by      strong.     This   has   reference 
spoil,   many  days.  to     the     noble     Maccabees. 

Now  when  they  shall  fall,      There  was  also  suffering  and 
they  shall  be  holpen  with  a      persecution, 
little   help:    but    many    shall 
cleave  to  them  with  flatteries. 

And  some  of  them  of  un- 
derstanding shall  fall,  to  try 
them,  and  to  purge,  and  to 
make  them  white,  even  to 
the  time  of  the  end :  because 
it  is  yet  for  a  time  appointed. 
(Verses  32-35-) 

What  a  most  remarkable  evidence  we  have  here 
before  us  of  the  fact  of  prophecy!  Only  God  can 
v^rite  history  in  advance  in  the  v^ay  it  is  done  here. 
At  the  same  time  it  is  evident  that  the  power  behind 
the  men,  who  boast  of  learning  and  who  can  side 
with  the  arguments  of  a  pagan  like  Porphyry,  is 
the  spirit  of  darkness.  Inasmuch  as  it  is  proven 
beyond  any  doubt  that  this  chapter  was  written 
and  was  in  existence  before  any  of  these  events 
took  place,  it  must  be  a  wilful  unbelief,  which 
rejects  the  wonderful  evidence  of  revelation. 
We  fear  much  of  the  present  day  destructive  criti- 
cism is  nothing  less  than  that.  How  wonderfully 
has  God  fulfilled  His  Word!  How  literally  every- 
thing has  come  to  pass.  And,  dear  reader,  God 
will  soon  fulfill  the  great  prophecies,  which  are  still 
unfulfilled.  The  next  number  on  His  programme 
will  be,  when  His  blessed  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  comes  into  the  air,  and  when  all  His  Saints 
together  with  those  who  have  died  in  Christ  will 


178  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

be  caught  up  in  clouds  to  meet  Him  in  the  air.  And 
after  that  the  great  judgments  will  sweep  over  the 
earth  and  wrath  will  be  poured  out. 

Before  we  pass  on  we  desire  to  sa}^  again  that 
all  in  these  verses  we  have  briefly  followed  has  been 
historically  fulfilled.  We  point  out  a  mistake  in 
which  some  have  fallen.  In  verse  31  we  read  of 
"  the  abomination  that  maketh  desolate."  Our 
Lord  in  His  Olivet  discourse  (Matthew  xxiv.  15) 
said :  "  When  ye  therefore  shall  see  the  abomination 
of  desolation,  spoken  by  Daniel  the  prophet, 
stand  in  the  holy  place  (whoso  readeth  let  him 
understand)."  Some  believe  that  when  our  Lord 
spoke  these  words  he  referred  to  Daniel  xi.  31  and 
that  this  is  the  abomination  of  desolation.  This  is  not 
quite  correct.  The  abomination  that  maketh  deso- 
late of  verse  31  is  past  and  happened  in  the  days 
of  the  atrocities  committed  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes. 
The  abomination  of  desolation  to  which  our  Lord 
refers  is  mentioned  in  chapter  xii.  11  and  it  points, 
as  we  shall  find  later,  to  the  abomination  set  up  by 
the  Antichrist,  the  second  beast,  in  the  middle  of 
the  week.  The  typical  meaning  of  Antiochus 
Epiphanes  and  his  crimes  in  the  land  of  Judea  and 
against  Jerusalem,  we  have  already  learned  in  con- 
nection with  chapter  viii. 

The  Time  of  the  End  Introduced.  From  chapter 
X.  14  we  learned  that  Daniel  was  to  understand  by 
this  final  prophecy  what  should  befall  his  people 
in  the  latter  days.  Now  if  such  is  the  case  then 
there  must  be  a  break  somewhere  in  this  eleventh 
chapter  where  the  predicted  events,  which   have 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEU  179 

found  their  fulfillment  cease  and  where  we  are 
led  into  the  future  days,  the  time  of  the  end.  This 
break  occurs  at  verse  35.  We  have  seen  that  the 
predictions  in  verses  2-35  have  all  been  fulfilled. 
However  Antiochus  Epiphanes  with  his  wicked 
deeds  is  typical  of  that  final  King  of  the  North, 
when  greater  persecution  and  tribulation  will  sweep 
over  Israel's  land,  in  the  time  of  the  end.  Now  it 
is  very  clear  that  verse  35  introduces  this  time  of  the 
end.  "  And  some  of  them  of  understanding  shall 
fall,  to  try  them  and  to  purge,  and  to  make  them 
white,  even  to  the  time  of  the  end ;  because  it  is  yet 
for  the  time  appointed."  The  last  chapter  in  Daniel 
which  is  wholly  taken  up  with  the  time  of  the  end, 
the  last  3^  years  of  the  seventieth  week  has  a 
similar  statement,  which  reminds  us  of  verses  32-35 
in  chapter  xi.  "  Many  shall  be  purified  and  made 
white,  and  tried ;  but  the  wicked  shall  do  wickedly, 
and  none  of  the  wicked  shall  understand,  but  the 
wise  shall  understand."  Therefore  with  verse  35 
our  attention  is  called  to  that  time  of  the  end  and 
with  the  verse  which  follows  we  are  transported  at 
once  into  that  time.  Between  verse  35  and  36  we 
must  put  a  long,  unreckoned  period  of  time.  Anti- 
ochus Epiphanes  and  the  victorious  Maccabees  end 
the  historical  fulfillment  of  the  predictions  of  this 
great  prophecy  and  since  then  over  2000  years  have 
passed  and  the  fulfillment  of  verses  36-45  has  not 
yet  come.  It  corresponds  somewhat  to  the  similar 
gap  (which  is  of  course  of  less  duration)  between 
the  69th  and  the  beginning  of  the  70th  week. 
While  there  is  no  difficulty  to  prove  the  historical 


i8o  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

fufillment  of  verses  2-35  it  is  impossible  to  locate 
anything  in  history  which  corresponds  to  verses 
36-45.  This  in  itself  is  noteworthy  and  an  evidence 
that  these  closing  verses  of  our  chapter  await  a 
future  fulfillment.  Some  have  tried  to  make  the 
King,  v/ho  is  first  described,  to  be  Antiochus  Epiph- 
anes,  but  the  description  does  not  fit  him  at  all. 

The  King,  who  is  to  Come.  Here  in  the  fore- 
ground of  the  time  of  the  end  is  a  prediction  of  a 
wicked  king,  a  most  interesting  and  important 
prophecy,  which  differs  materially  from  the  pre- 
dictions about  the  little  horn  in  chapter  vii.  and 
the  other  little  horn  in  chapter  viii.  This  King  has 
been  identified  with  both,  the  head  of  the  Roman 
world  power  and  with  the  King  of  the  North.  We 
shall  find  that  he  is  an  entirely  dififerent  one,  indeed 
he  has  not  yet  been  mentioned  in  this  book  before. 


And  the  king  shall  do  according  to  his  will :  and  he 
shall  exalt  himself,  and  magnify  himself  above  every 
god,  and  shall  speak  marvellous  things  against  the  God 
of  gods,  and  shall  prosper  till  the  indignation  be  accom- 
plished: for  that  that  is  determined  shall  be  done. 
Neither  shall  he  regard  the  God  of  his  fathers,  nor  the 
desire  of  women,  nor  regard  any  god :  for  he  shall 
magnify  himself  above  all.  But  in  his  estate  shall  he 
honour  the  God  of  forces :  and  a  god  whom  his  fathers 
knew  not  shall  he  honour  with  gold,  and  silver,  and  with 
precious  stones,  and  pleasant  things.  Thus  shall  he  do 
in  the  most  strong  holds  with  a  strange  god,  whoso 
acknowledges  him  will  he  increase  with  glory:  and  he 
shall  cause  them  to  rule  over  many,  and  shall  divide 
the  land  for  a  reward  (verses  36-39). 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  i8i 

Many  expositors  of  Daniel  apply  this  passage  to 
Antiochus  Epiphanes,  because  they  see  not  the  im- 
portant interval  which  exists  between  verse  35  and 
36.  However  a  closer  examination  of  the  descrip- 
tion of  this  King  shows  that  he  cannot  be  Antiochus. 
He  is  another  person  altogether  and  as  we  shall  see 
later  will  be  a  Jew  and  assume  Kingly  honors  in 
the  midst  of  the  Jewish  people.  Antiochus  was  a 
Gentile.  Others  again  identify  this  King  with  the 
first  beast  in  Revelation  xiii.  and  say  that  the  head 
of  the  revived  Roman  Empire,  one  like  Napoleon 
I.  is  meant  while  others  see  here  a  reference  to  the 
pope  in  Rome.  And  whether  the  head  of  the  Roman 
power,  or  the  pope,  or  perhaps  Mohammed,  the 
term  Antichrist  is  freely  applied  to  each.  Those 
who  see  the  Papacy  here  and  the  Romish  corrup- 
tion make  some  startling  applications  which  are 
extremely  fanciful.  We  insert  here  by  way  of 
illustration  what  Adam  Clark  says  on  part  of  this 
passage.  Others  have  followed  in  the  same  foot- 
steps. On  the  description  that  the  King  shall  not 
regard  the  desire  of  women  the  statement  is  made 
as  follows: 

"  Both  the  Greek  and  Latin  church  in  their  Anti- 
christian  enactments,  have  discouraged,  and  in 
several  cases  proscribed,  marriage,  under  the  pre- 
tence of  greater  chastity,  to  the  discredit  of  God's 
ordinance,  and  Christianity  itself. 

Nor  regard  any  god.  For  the  mandates  and  de- 
crees of  that  church  have  been  often  in  defiance  of 
God  and  His  word ;  for  it  has  magnified  itself  above 


i82  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

all  power  and  authority  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  It 
professes  to  hold  the  keys,  and  to  open  and  shut 
heaven  at  pleasure,  both  to  states  and  individuals. 

Shall  he  honour  the  god  of  forces  which  is 
mduzzim,  or  gods  protectors,  as  in  the  Margin; 
worshipping  saints  and  angels,  as  guardians  and 
protectors,  and  mediators;  leaving  out,  in  general, 
the  true  God,  and  the  only  Mediator,  Jesus  Christ. 

And  a  god  whom  his  fathers  knew  not  for  these 
gods  guardians,  the  Virgin  Mary,  saints,  and  angels, 
were  utterly  unknown,  as  mediators  and  invocable 
guardians,  in  the  primitive  apostolic  church. 

Shall  he  honour  with  gold,  and  silver,  and  with 
precious  stones.  How  literally  does  this  apply  to 
the  church  of  Rome !  See  the  house  of  our  lady  at 
Loretto ;  the  shrines  of  saints ;  the  decorated  images, 
costly  apparel,  gold  jewels,  etc.,  profusely  used 
about  images  of  saints,  angels,  and  the  blessed 
virgin,  in  different  Popish  churches.  This  super- 
stition began  to  prevail  in  the  fourth  century;  and 
was  established  in  787,  by  the  seventh  general 
council,  for  in  that  the  worship  of  images  was 
enacted." 

But  enough  of  this.  If  these  commentators  had 
only  reckoned  with  the  fact  that  this  King  is  to 
come  in  the  time  of  the  end  and  be  manifested  in  the 
land  of  Palestine  in  the  midot  of  Daniel's  people 
(the  Jews)  they  would  have  escaped  such  far- 
fetched interpretations. 

Others,  as  already  stated,  identify  this  King  with 
the  little  horn  in  Daniel  vii.  and  also  with  that  other 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 


183 


little  horn  in  chapter  viii.  To  show  that  the  King 
described  in  xi.  36-39  is  a  different  person  we  shall 
put  the  records  concerning  these  three  persons  be- 
fore us  once  more. 


The  Little  Horn 

Daniel  vii.  25. 

Comes  forth  out  of  the  ten 
horns  of  the  Fourth  Beast. 
(Roman  Empire.)  The  Head 
of  the  restored  Roman 
Power. 

He  shall  speak  great  words 
against  the  Most  High — 

Shall  wear  out  the  Saints 
of  the  Most  High. 

Think  to  change  times  and 
Laws. 

These  shall  be  given  into 
his  hands — 

For  ZY2  years. 

He  is  "the  Prince  that 
shall  come."    Dan.  ix.  26. 

Makes  a  covenant  with  the 
many. 

Covenant  broken  in  the 
midst  of  the  week. 


The  Little  Horn 

Daniel  viii.  9-12. 

Arises  out  of  a  division  of 
the  Third  Kingdom— the 
Grecian  Empire. 

Antiochus  Epiphanes  pre- 
dicted. 

The  type  of  the  King  of 
the  North. 

He  understands  dark  sen- 
tences. 

His  power  shall  be  mighty 
but  not  by  his  own  power. 

Shall  destroy  wonderfully. 

Shall  practice  and  prosper. 

Destroy  the  mighty  and 
holy  people. 

He  shall  magnify  himself 
in  his  heart  and  by  peace 
destroy  many. 

He  shall  stand  up  against 
the  Prince  of  princes. 

He  shall  be  broken  with- 
out hand. 

He  is  the  desolator — the 
King  of  the  North — the  As- 
syrian of  the  time  of  the 
end. 


'i84 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 


The  Wilful  King 
Daniel  xi,  36-39. 

Nothing  is  said  about  the 
origin  of  this  king. 

He  does  not  arise  from 
the  Gentiles  at  all;  therefore 
he  must  be  a  Jew. 

He  shall  do  according  to 
his  will. 

He  shall  exalt  himself. 

Magnify  himself  above 
every  God. 

Shall  speak  marvellous 
things  against  the  God  of 
gods. 

He  prospers  till  the  in- 
dignation is  past. 


He  does  not  regard  the 
God  of  His  fathers  (the 
Jews). 

Nor  the  desire  of  women. 

Nor  regard  any  god. 

He  shall  magnify  himself 
above  all. 

He  shall  honor  the  god  of 
forces. 

A  god  whom  his  fathers 
know  not  he  shall  honor 
with  gold,  etc. 

Whoso  acknowledges  him 
will  he  increase  with  glory. 

He  shall  cause  them  to 
rule  over  the  many. 

He  shall  divide  the  lancj 
for  reward. 


A  close  comparison  of  the  origin  of  these  three 
wicked  persons  and  what  they  do  during  the  time 
of  the  end,  the  last  end  of  the  indignation  proves 
conclusively  that  they  cannot  be  one  person, 
or  two,  but  they  are  three  distinct  persons.  Who 
then  is  the  King,  who  is  described  in  chapter  xi. 
36  as  coming  up  as  the  wilful  king  in  the  time  of 
the  end? 

The  Wilful  King  is  the  Antichrist.  The  Jewish 
people  rejected  their  King,  the  Messiah,  who  came 
to  His  own,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Our  Lord  told 
the  Jews  "  I  am  come  in  my  Father's  name,  and  ye 
receive  me  not;  if  another  shall  come  in  his  own 
name,  him  ye  will  receive."  (John  v.  43).  This 
other  one  has  not  yet  come.  We  have  his  photo- 
graph here.    He  appears  in  Israel's  land  in  the  time 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  185 

of  the  end  as  a  counterfeit  Messiah  and  takes  also 
the  place  of  King  in  their  midst.  This  wilful  King 
the  personal  Antichrist,  who  deceives  the  apostate 
mass  of  the  Jewish  people  is  repeatedly  mentioned  in 
the  Old  Testament  prophetic  Word.  Isaiah  speaks  of 
him  and  his  end  (Isaiah  xxx.  33 ;  Ivii.  9).  Zechariah 
calls  him  "the  idol  shepherd"  (Zech.  xi.  15-17). 
He  is  repeatedly  mentioned  in  the  Psalms  as  "  the 
wicked  man  " — "  the  man  of  the  earth  " — "  the 
bloody  and  deceitful  man."  In  the  Book  of  Revela- 
tion he  appears  as  the  second  beast  out  of  the  land 
(Palestine)  Revel,  xiii.  11-17.  The  two  horns  like  a 
lamb  as  he  is  described  there  show  clearly 
that  he  imitates  Christ.  He  has  the  spirit  of  the 
dragon  and  appears  as  a  religious  leader,  for  this 
reason  he  is  also  called  "  the  false  prophet "  in 
the  Book  of  Revelation  (chapters  xvi.  13;  xix.  20; 
XX.  10). 

In  the  New  Testament  he  Is  called  in  the  writings 
of  John  "the  Antichrist."  See  1  John  ii.  18-22; 
iv.  3  ;  2  John  7.  Another  great  prophecy  of  the  same 
person  is  found  in  2  Thessel.  ii.  where  he  is  called 
"  the  man  of  sin,  the  son  of  predition."  The  early 
church  believed  that  this  evil  person  will  be  a  real 
man,  a  Jew  and  be  energized  by  Satan.  That  he  is 
the  papal  system  or  something  else  was  invented 
later. 

A  question  may  arise  here  in  the  mind  of  the 
reader.  The  passage  in  Daniel  has  to  do  exclu- 
sively with  Daniel's  people.  The  wilful  King  is  to 
arise  in  their  midst  and  do  his  dreadful  work  in  the 
land  of  Israel.    How  is  it  that  he  is  also  predicted  to 


i86  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

be  the  deceiver  of  Christendom?  What  has  he  to 
do  with  Gentile  Christendom  if  he  is  to  be  the  false 
Messiah — King  of  the  Jews?  The  answer  is  very 
simple.  As  the  time  of  the  end  approaches  a  wide- 
spread apostasy  from  God  and  His  Word  will  be- 
come universal.  It  will  be  as  pronounced  among 
the  Jews  as  it  will  be  in  nominal  Christendom.  Be- 
fore it  can  come  to  its  full  head  the  true  church, 
composed  of  all  who  are  the  Lord's,  will  be  removed 
from  this  earth.  The  great  mass  of  unsaved  nominal 
Christians  will  be  left  behind.  Then  Jewish  and 
Christian  Apostasy  will  coalesce  and  center  in  that 
one  person.  For  the  apostate  Jewish  masses,  re- 
stored in  unbelief  to  their  land,  he  will  be  the  false 
Messiah-king;  for  the  apostate  Christian  masses,  he 
>vill  be  the  Antichrist.  Even  to-day  we  see  how  re- 
formed Jews  and  liberal  Christians,  the  adherents 
of  the  "  New  Theology  "  make  common  cause  and 
can  meet  together  in  what  they  call  "  worship."  It 
is  worship,  not  true  worship  but  the  Cain-cult. 
The  whole  apostate  mass  of  humanity,  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  v/ill  receive  this  wilful  King.  The  Jews, 
iwith  the  exception  of  the  believing  remnant,  will  hail 
him  as  their  Messiah-King  and  the  Gentiles,  those 
:who  received  not  the  love  of  the  truth,  will  accept 
the  strong  delusion,  the  lying  signs  and  wonders, 
>vhich  this  man  of  sin  will  do. 

A  Brief  Analysis  of  His  Person,  Character  and 
Work.  We  can  give  only  a  few  hints  in  connection 
with  the  divinely  given  photograph  of  this  wicked 
one.  He  is  called  the  King  who  *'  shall  do  accord- 
ing to  his  own  will."    He  will  be  self-willed,  which 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  187 

means  that  in  wilfullness  he  will  go  as  the 
man  of  sin  the  full  length  of  opposition  against 
God  and  let  sin  work  in  him  to  the  uttermost 
extent. 

In  1  Tim.  iii.  6  we  read  that  the  crime  of  the 
devil  is  pride.    This  wilful  King  is  the  devil's  man 
and  Satan's  character  is  fully  developed  in  him. 
His  character  will  be  self-exaltation.     First  in  self- 
will  he  exalts  himself  and  then  against  God  himself. 
In  this  self-exaltation  and  exaltation  above  God,  he 
will  prosper  till  the  indignation  is   accomplished, 
till  the  Lord  comes  and  slays  him  with  the  breath  of 
his  lips  and  the  brightness  of  His  coming.     Here  we 
may  consult  2  Thess.  ii.  Of  the  man  of  sin,  this  wilful 
King,  Paul  writes :  *'  who  opposeth  and  exalteth  him- 
self above  all  that  is  called  God,  showing  himself  that 
he  is  God."    Because  the  temple  of  God  is  mentioned 
here  and  that  temple  has  erroneously  been  inter- 
preted as  meaning  the  church,  many  hold  that  it 
means  popery.    But  the  temple  is  the  Jewish  temple 
in  Jerusalem.     Now  the  Jews   do  not   possess   a 
temple.     During   the   last   seven   years,   the   final 
prophetic   week,   when   the   prince   of   the   Roman 
power  makes  a  covenant  with  the  Jews,  they  will 
build  a  temple  in  Jerusalem.    In  the  middle  of  the 
week  this  wilful  King  will  come  and  take  his  seat 
in  that  temple  and  claim  divine  worship.     Then 
Satan  will  be  working  in  great  power,  signs  and 
lying  wonders.     This  wilful   King   deceives   them 
that  dwell  on  the  earth  (Rev.  xiii.  14)  by  the  means 
of  those  miracles.    Apostate  Jews  and  Gentiles  will 
believe  the  lie,  and  thus  hasten  on  to  the  judgment 


i88  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

which  is  prepared  for  them  when  God's  true  King 
appears  out  of  the  opened  heavens. 

The  King,  Antichrist,  shall  not  regard  the  God 
of  his  fathers.  Here  his  Jewish  descent  becomes 
evident.  It  is  a  Jewish  phrase  ''  the  God  of  his 
fathers  "  and  besides  this,  to  establish  his  fraudu- 
lent claim  to  be  the  King  Messiah,  he  must  be  a 
Jew.  Else  the  Jews  would  not  own  him  as  such. 
Still  more  interesting  is  the  statement  "  he  shall 
not  regard  the  desire  of  women."  The  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  here  in  view.  Pious  Jewish  women  in 
Pre-messianic  times  had  one  great  desire,  they 
wanted  to  be  mothers,  with  a  view  to  Him,  who  is 
the  promised  seed  of  the  woman.  His  birth  was 
desired  by  these  godly  mothers  of  Israel.  This 
King  then  hates  God  and  hates  His  blessed  Son, 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  "  Who  is  a  liar  but  he  that 
denieth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ?  He  is  the  Anti- 
christ, that  denieth  the  Father  and  the  Son "  (1 
John  ii.  22). 

Verse  38  speaks  of  another  whom  he  will  honor. 
It  is  strange  that  so  very  few  teachers  have  con- 
nected this  verse  with  what  is  spoken  of  the  Anti- 
christ in  Revel,  xiii.  11-17.  The  one  whom  he  will 
honor  is  none  other  than  the  first  beast,  the  little 
horn.  The  two  will  work  together  and  the  Anti- 
christ will  have  an  image  made  of  the  first  beast,  the 
little  horn.  Perhaps  that  image  will  be  of  gold,  sil- 
ver and  precious  stones,  mentioned  in  verse  38. 
That  image  is  to  be  worshipped  and  whosoever  re- 
fuses to  do  so  will  be  killed.  Then  the  great  trib- 
ulation will  sweep  through  the  city  and  the  land 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  189 

with  all  its  satanic  horrors.  The  little  horn,  the 
Prince  over  the  Roman  Empire,  will  work  corre- 
sponding atrocities  in  his  Gentile  domain. 

Another  statement  we  must  explain.  "  Whoso 
acknowledges  him  will  he  increase  with  Glory ;  and 
he  shall  cause  them  to  rule  over  many  and  shall 
divide  the  land  for  glory."  He  imitates  in  this  the 
true  Christ.  He  anticipates  (as  Satan  always  does) 
jvhat  the  coming  King  will  do. 

When  the  Lord  comes  His  own  faithful  people 
will  receive  their  rewards.  This  is  not  only  the 
teaching  of  the  New  Testament  but  also  that  of 
the  Old.  "  Behold  His  reward  is  with  Him  "  (Isaiah 
xl.  10).  "Say  ye  to  the  daughter  of  Zion,  Behold 
thy  salvation  cometh,  behold  His  reward  is  with 
Him  and  His  work  before  Him"  (Isaiah  Ixii.  11). 
**  Thy  people  also  shall  be  righteous,  they  shall  in- 
herit the  land  forever  "  (Isaiah  Ix.  21).  Other  pass- 
ages could  be  quoted.  When  Israel's  true  King, 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  appears,  he  will  give  Glory 
to  His  land  and  to  the  faithful  remnant  of  His 
people.  He  will  give  them  dominion  over  many, 
over  the  nations  and  He  will  divide  the  land  for 
faithful  service.  We  speak  here  exclusively  of  the 
faithful  remnant  of  Israel.  The  church  has  her  re- 
ward over  the  earth. 

When  the  counterfeit  of  Satan,  the  false  Messiah, 
the  Antichrist  is  in  the  land,  he  will  imitate  the 
coming  King  in  these  matters  of  reward.  Those 
who  acknowledge  him  and  are  true  to  this  dread- 
ful being,  he  will  give  them  earthly  glory  and 
dominion  and  divide  the  land  for  reward.     But  it 


I90  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

will  not  last  long.  The  King  of  the  North  sweeps 
into  the  land  and  antagonizes  the  doings  of  the 
Antichrist  and  then  God's  appointed  King  will  ap- 
pear and  be  enthroned  upon  the  holy  hill  of  Zion. 

Why  is  Antichrist  Mentioned  only  once  in  Daniel? 
But  if  this  false  King  is  so  prominent  then  in  Jeru- 
salem how  is  it  that  we  have  but  one  description 
of  him  in  the  prophecies  of  this  book?  The  promi- 
nence of  this  wilful  King  in  connection  with  the 
Jews  has  led  many  teachers  to  identify  him  with 
Antiochus  Epiphanes.  But  there  is  a  good  reason 
why  the  Antichrist  is  mentioned  but  once  and  that 
at  the  end  of  the  book  of  Daniel.  The  book  of 
Daniel  is  chiefly  occupied  with  the  times  of  the 
Gentiles  and  how  they  will  end.  The  Gentile 
enemies  of  His  people  are  therefore  accorded  the 
leading  place,  as  we  have  seen,  the  coming  Prince 
out  of  the  Roman  world  and  the  King  of  the  North 
are  Gentiles.  The  Antichrist  arising  out  of  the 
people  themselves  is  mentioned  last. 

A  Practical  Word.  Plow  near  all  these  events 
are  to  our  times!  We  see  the  shadow  of  both,  the 
coming  Prince,  the  first  beast,  and  the  Antichrist 
in  our  times.  The  Gentile  nations  await  a  great 
political  leader.  Religiously  the  apostates  in  Juda- 
ism and  Christendom  are  ready  to  receive  their 
man  and  follow  him.  How  true  the  Word  of  God 
given  through  John  applies  to  our  times.  "  Little 
children  it  is  the  last  time,  and  as  ye  have  heard 
that  Antichrist  shall  come,  even  now  there  are  many 
Antichrists,  whereby  we  know  that  it  is  the  last 
time"  (1  John  ii.  18).    Many  Antichrists  were  al- 


[THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  191 

ready  present  in  the  days  ot  the  Apostle  John.  The 
great  Gnostic  movement  with  its  intellectual  philo- 
sophical denials  of  the  Person  and  work  of  Christ 
was  troubling  the  church  as  well  as  other  move- 
ments. But  as  the  age  has  gone  on  all  has  become 
more  pronounced  and  as  never  before  there  are 
many  Antichrists,  whereby  we  know  that  the  Anti- 
christ is  near.  As  never  before  the  Antichristian  ele- 
ments are  gathering  in  systems  and  movements 
which  gain  in  strength.  Higher  criticism  is  Anti- 
christian, it  may  well  be  called  the  forerunner  of 
all  antichristian  teachings.  To  the  many  Anti- 
christs in  our  day  belongs  the  "  Christian  Science  " 
movement  (a  revival  in  a  powerful  way  of  the 
Gnosticism  of  John's  day),  the  Millennial  Dawn 
system  (the  most  subtle  Antichristianity),  Spiritism, 
demon  power  revealed,  The  New  Theology,  the 
bloodless,  Christless  Gospel,  the  Theosophical  move- 
ment; we  also  mention  Bahaism,  Mormonism,  Re- 
formed Judaism,  New  Thought  and  a  number  of 
other  "  isms."  Of  course  the  Romish  "  church,"  the 
mother  of  harlots,  is  in  the  foreground  and  will  ere 
long  take  a  very  prominent  part  in  the  religious 
affairs  of  drifting  Christendom. 

These  system  are  the  harbingers  of  the  final, 
personal  Antichrist.  He  cannot  be  far  away.  Be- 
loved readers!  while  Satan  is  gathering  his  forces 
and  preparing  the  material  for  the  final  struggle, 
we  must  as  God's  people  live  in  separation  from 
these  evil  things  and  keep  close  to  our  ever  blessed 
Lord.  God's  call  to  us  now  is  separation.  May  He 
help  all  those  .who  name  that  worthy  Name  to  be 


192  THE   PROPHET   DANIEL 

separated  from  every  form  of  Antichristianity.  We 
too  shall  be  against  Christ  if  we  are  not  out  and  out 
for  Him.  Let  us  give  Him  in  all  things  the  Pre- 
eminence. 

The  Conflicts  at  the  Time  of  the  End.  And  now 
the  phrase  "  the  time  of  the  end  "  is  introduced  once 
more.  The  verses  which  follow  the  description  of 
the  willful  King  are  the  conflicts,  which  will  take 
place  in  Palestine  during  the  last  half  of  the  seven- 
tieth week  and  which  will  terminate  with  the  com- 
ing of  the  King. 

And  at  the  time  of  the  end  shall  the  king  of  the 
south  push  at  him:  and  the  king  of  the  north  shall 
come  against  him  like  a  whirlwind,  with  chariots,  and 
with  horsemen,  and  with  many  ships;  and  he  shall 
enter  into  the  countries,  and  shall  overflow  and  pass 
over.  He  shall  enter  also  into  the  glorious  land,  and 
many  countries  shall  be  overthrown :  but  these  shall  es- 
cape out  of  his  hand,  even  Edom,  and  Moab,  and  the 
chief  of  the  children  of  Ammon.  He  shall  stretch  forth 
his  hand  also  upon  the  countries :  and  the  land  of  Egypt 
shall  not  escape.  But  he  shall  have  power  over  the 
treasures  of  gold  and  of  silver,  and  over  all  the 
precious  things  of  Egypt:  and  the  Libyans  and  the 
Ethiopians  shall  be  at  his  steps.  But  tidings  out  of  the 
east  and  out  of  the  north  shall  trouble  him :  therefore 
he  shall  go  forth  with  great  fury  to  destroy,  and  utterly 
to  make  away  many.  And  he  shall  plant  the  tabernacles 
of  his  palace  between  the  seas  in  the  glorious  holy 
mountain;  yet  he  shall  come  to  his  end,  and  none 
shall  help  him  (verses  40-45.) 

In  verse  39  we  read  that  the  Antichrist  acting  as 
the  false  King  will  divide  the  land,  which  is  Im- 
manuel's  land.  At  that  time  two  kings  will  push 
at  him  and  threaten  the  Antichrist.     The  King  of 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  193 

the  South  and  the  King  of  the  North  appear  now 
upon  the  scene.     Their  doings  were  foreshadowed 
in  the  Kings  of  the  South  and  North  in  the  first 
part  of  this  chapter.    The  King  of  the  South,  stirred 
up  by  the   arrogant   doings   of  the  false   King  in 
Israel's  land,  comes  first.    Who  is  the  King  of  the 
South?     A   King   which   rises   out   of    Egypt.      It 
would  be  a  mistake  if  we  were  here  to  leave  the 
path  of  expounding  prophecy  and  make  a  guess  at 
who  this  King  might  be.     Not  a  few  instead  of 
explaining  prophetic  revelations  have  turned  proph- 
ets themselves.     This  proved  in  every  case  to  be 
simple  guesswork  and  often  harmful  to  the  study 
of  the  Word.  This  King  of  the  South  however  will 
have  not  much  success  with  his  operations.     The 
prominent  person  is  his  antagonist,  the  King  of  the 
North.     He  is,  as  we  have  seen,  the  King  with  the 
fierce  countenance,  typified  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes, 
the  little  horn  of  chapter  viii.  the  Assyrian  of  the 
/  time  of  the  end.    He  is  now  stirred  up  by  what  the 
(Antichrist  is  doing  in  the  land.     He  comes  like  a 
whirlwind  with   chariots   and  horsemen   and   with 
many  ships.    His  mighty  army,  their  large  numbers 
and  orderly  march  as  well  as  their  destructive  work 
is  vividly  described  in  Joel's  prophecy  (chapter  ii.). 
"He  shall  enter  into  the  glorious  land."     As  the 
desolator  he  comes   now   against  Jerusalem.     He 
also  conquers  other  countries.     Edom,  Moab,  and 
the  children  of  Amnion  only  escape.*     But  from 

*It  is  often  stated  that  these  countries  are  now  no  longer 
flourishing.  Their  territory  still  exists  and  people  live  there. 
At  the  time  of  the  end  all  these  countries  come  up  again. 


194  THE   PROPHET  DANIEL 

Isaiah  xi.  14  we  learn  that  restored  Israel  will  lay 
their  hand  upon  these,  which  escaped  the  devasta- 
tion of  the  King  of  the  North  and  be  forced  into 
obedience.  And  Egypt  will  not  escape  his  hand. 
He  will  have  power  over  the  treasures  of  gold  and 
silver  which  are  stored  up  in  that  land  and  even  the 
Libyans  and  the  Ethiopians  shall  be  at  his  steps. 
When  he  is  in  the  South  certain  tidings  reach  him ; 
they  come  from  the  East  and  out  of  the  North  and 
they  trouble  him.  What  these  tidings  are  we  are 
not  told.  We  need  therefore  not  speculate  what 
these  tidings  will  be.  But  this  is  certain  that  the 
tFdings  are  connected  with  the  Jewish  people  and 
the  events,  which  transpire  in  their  land.  With 
great  fury  he  now  turns  back  to  the  land.  His  great 
aim  is  to  destroy  and  to  make  away  with  many. 
The  climax  then  is  reached.  "  He  shall  plant  the 
tabernacle  of  his  palace  between  the  seas  in  the 
glorious  holy  mountain,  yet  he  shall  come  to  his  end, 
and  none  shall  help  him."  Then  shall  the  Lord  go 
forth  and  fight  against  those  nations  (associated 
with  the  King  of  the  North),  as  when  he  fought  in 
the  day  of  battle  (Zech,  xiv.  3).  The  interference 
will  be  by  the  personal,  visible  manifestation  of  the 
Lord,  for  "  His  feet  shall  stand  in  that  day  upon 
the  Mount  of  Olives"  (Zech.  xiv.  5).  Thus  the 
King  of  the  North  will  be  broken  "  without  hands  " 
(Dan.  viii.  25)  and  "  that  determined  shall  be 
poured  upon  the  desolator  "  (chapter  ix.  27).  The 
overthrow  of  the  past  Assyrian  Sennacherib  and 
his  army  of  185,000  men  was  a  faint  type  of  the  end 
of  the  last  Assyrian,  the  King  of  the  North.     Great 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  ^95 

will  be  the  slaughter  on  the  battlefield  before  Jeru- 
salem Then  too  the  delivered  remnant  of  the  peo- 
ple Israel  will  go  forth  and  share  in  that  victory 
*Hhey  will  gather  together,  gold  and  silver  and 
apparel  in  great  abundance"  (Zech.  xiv.  14). 
Pages  upon  pages  might  be  filled  with  further 
scriptures  and  their  explanations  relatmg  to  this 
final  great  conflict,  as  well  as  that  which  happens 
to  the  western  power. 

One  question  remains.     While  the  King  of  the 
North  and  his  proud  hosts  are  thus  overthrown 
by  the  Army  of  the  Lord,  what  becomes  of  the  will- 
ful King,  the  Antichrist  in  the  City?    The  King  of 
the  North  cannot  touch  him.    But  the  Lord  Him- 
self will  deal  with  that  wicked  one.    ''  Whom  the 
Lord  shall  consume  with  the  spirit  of  His  mouth, 
and  shall  destroy  with  the  brightness  of  His  com- 
ing" (2  Thess.  ii.  8).    Thus  ends  the  great  conflict 
of  the  time  of  the  end.    The  eternal  abode  of  the 
Satanic  instruments  of  the  time  of   the  end,  the 
beast,  that  coming  Prince,  the  Antichrist  and  the 
King  of  the  North  will  be  the  lake  of  fire.     May 
we  praise  God  that  in  His  infinite  Grace  He  has 
delivered  us  from  so  great  a  death. 


CHAPTER  XII 

The  End  of  the  Prophecy.     The  Great  Tribulation 
and  Israel's  Deliverance.     The  Epilogue 

How  closely  this  chapter  is  connected  with  the 
events,  which  we  have  just  left  in  the  closing  verses 
of  chapter  xi.  is  seen  by  the  first  words  with  which 
the  final  chapter  in  Daniel  starts  in.  "  And  at  that 
time."  What  time?  The  time  when  the  willful 
King  domineers  over  the  Jews  and  commits  his 
evil  deeds  in  Jerusalem  and  when  the  King  of  the 
North  has  entered  the  glorious  land. 

The  Time  of  Trouble  and  Israel's  Deliverance. 
This  is  the  subject  of  the  first  two  verses. 

And  at  that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great 
prince  which  standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  people: 
and  there  shall  be  a  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was 
since  there  was  a  nation  even  to  that  same  time:  and 
at  that  time  thy  people  shall  be  delivered,  every  one 
that  shall  be  found  written  in  the  book.  And  many 
of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake, 
some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  ever- 
lasting contempt.  And  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as 
the  brightness  of  the  firmament;  and  they  that  turn 
many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever 
(verses  1-3). 

196 


THE   PROPHET   DANIEL  197 

Important  prophetic  truths  are  here  brought  into 
view.  As  stated  above  it  relates  altogether  to  the 
time  of  the  end,  the  last  3^  years.  The  informa- 
tion is  now  given  that  this  time  will  be  for  Daniel's 
people  "  a  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was  since 
there  was  a  nation  even  to  that  same  time."  And 
this  statement  is  repeated  by  our  Lord  in  Matthew 
xxiv.  in  that  part  of  His  Olivet  discourse,  which 
relates  to  the  Jewish  people  and  contains  His 
prophecy  touching  the  seventieth  week.  Then  our 
Lord  saith  "  then  shall  be  great  tribulation,  such 
as  was  not  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this 
time,  no,  nor  ever  shall  be"  (Matthew  xxiv.  21).  In 
verse  15  of  the  same  chapter  our  Lord  mentions 
Daniel  and  the  abomination  of  desolation.  This 
according  to  our  Lord's  words  introduces  the  time 
of  trouble,  the  great  tribulation,  the  time  of  the  end. 
What  harmony  is  here!  And  still  more  signifi- 
cant it  is  that  in  Daniel  xii.  this  abomination  is 
mentioned  (see  verse  11).  Now  there  are  such  who 
teach  that  all  our  Lord  said  in  Matthew  xxiv.  speaks 
exclusively  of  what  happened  to  Jerusalem  in  the 
year  70.  In  fact  this  is  the  general  interpretation  of 
our  Lord's  discourse.  But  it  is  completely  dis- 
proven  by  the  twelfth  chapter  in  Daniel.  As  w^e 
shall  see  with  the  time  of  trouble  there  is  associated 
the  deliverance  of  Daniel's  people  and  their  restora- 
tion. Now  were  the  Jews  delivered  and  restored 
in  the  year  70  when  the  Romans  took  the  city? 
No.  As  we  sav/  from  chapter  ix.  the  city  and  sanct- 
uary were  destroyed.  The  nation  itself  was  scat- 
tered. 


198  THE   PROPHET   DANIEU 

But  there  is  also  another  erroneous  view  taught. 
It  is  claimed  that  the  church  is  to  be  on  earth  during 
that  time  of  trouble.  Thus  the  church  is  read  into 
the  xxiv.  chapter  of  Matthew.  But  the  time  of 
trouble  is  not  for  the  church,  but  for  Daniel's  people. 
To  put  the  church  into  the  time  of  the  end  is  a 
teaching,  which  works  confusion.  When  the  seven- 
tieth week  beg-ins,  the  true  church  has  left  the  earth. 

Michael,  the  great  prince  which  standeth  for  the 
Jewish  people,  is  now  also  mentioned  again.  He 
will  stand  up  and  take  a  leading  part  in  the  events 
of  that  time.  From  the  Book  of  Revelation  we 
learn  (chapter  xii.)  that  there  will  be  war  in  heaven, 
that  is  where  Satan  has  his  dominion  now  as  the 
prince  of  the  pov/er  of  the  air.  Michael  assisted  by 
his  angels  will  cast  out  the  great  dragon,  the  devil 
and  his  angels.  They  will  be  forced  down  to  the 
earth.  Then  when  Satan  and  his  angels  are  cast 
out  the  great  tribulation  will  be  instituted  (Rev. 
xii.  12).  Michael  will  stand  up  in  another  sense 
and  take  a  definite  part  in  the  deliverance  of  Daniel's 
people.    It  is  not  fully  revealed  what  that  will  be. 

The  deliverance  of  which  we  read  in  these  verses 
and  the  awakening  of  those,  "  who  sleep  in  the  dust 
of  the  earth  "  has  likewise  been  grossly  misinter- 
preted. Because  expositors  have  not  seen  the  appli- 
cation of  all  this  to  the  Jews  in  their  future  history 
in  the  land,  they  have  read  the  church  in  here  and 
even,  what  they  term,  a  general  resurrection  on  a 
general  judgment  day.  But  we  shall  see  now  what 
is  meant  by  the  deliverance  of  Daniel's  people. 

**  At  that  time  thy  people  shall  be  delivered  every 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  199 

one   that    shall    be    found   written    In    the   book." 
Daniel's  people  are  the  objects  of  the  deliverance 
in  that  time  of  trouble,  however  there  is  a  further 
description;  not  all  of  Daniel's  people,  but  those 
only  "that  shall  be  found  written  in  the  book."  These 
are  the  godly  Jews,  the  believing  remnant  of  the 
time  of  the  end.    For  them  the  Lord  will  send  help 
and  they  will  be  saved  out  of  that  time  of  trouble. 
For  their  sake  the  days  will  be  shortened.     "And 
except  those  days  should  be  shortened,  there  should 
no  flesh  be  saved,  but  for  the  elect's*  sake  those  days 
shall  be  shortened"   (Matth.  xxiv.  22).     Their  de- 
liverance means  a  deliverance  out  of  the  dreadful 
conditions  of  the  time  of  the  end  and  after  their 
faithful  endurance  to  the  end  (Matthew  xxiv.  13) 
they  will  enter  into  the  Kingdom,  which  will  then 
be  established.     The  great  apostate  mass  of  Jews 
will  be  swept  into  the  judgment  and  be  cut  off  as 
other  Scriptures  teach  us.     "And  it  shall  come  to 
pass  that  in  all  the  land,  saith  the  Lord,  two  parts 
therein  shall  be  cut  off  and  die ;  but  the  third  shall 
be  left  therein"  (Zech.  xiii.  8-9).     That  third  part 
will  be  carried  through  the  fire,  the  time  of  trouble 
and  to  them  the  Lord,  their  King,  will  say  "It  is  my 
people  and  they  shall  say.  The  Lord  is  my  God." 
The  evil  doctrine  that  "all  Israel  shall  be  saved" 
(Rom.  xi.  26)  means  not  alone  the  literal  salvation 
of  all  the  wicked  Jews  who  have  sided  with  Anti- 
christ, but  also  all  the  Jewish  generations,  which 
continued  wilfully  in  unbelief,  is  in  this  passage  and 
others  as  well  completely  answered. 
♦Not  the  church  but  the  elect  remnant. 


j300  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

Physical  resurrection  is  not  taught  in  the  second 
verse  of  this  chapter,  if  it  were  the  passage  would 
be  in  clash  with  the  revelation  concerning  resur- 
rection in  the  New  Testament.  There  is  no  general 
resurrection,  but  there  will  be  the  first  resurrection 
in  which  only  the  righteous  participate  and  the 
second  resurrection,  which  means  the  raising  of  the 
wicked  dead  for  their  eternal  and  conscious  punish- 
ment. Between  the  two  resurrections  is  a  space  of 
1000  years  (see  Revel,  xx). 

We  repeat  the  passage  has  nothing  to  do  with 
physical  resurrection.  Physical  resurrection  is  how- 
ever used  as  a  figure  of  the  national  revival  of 
Israel  in  that  day.  They  have  been  sleeping  nation- 
ally in  the  dust  of  the  earth,  buried  among  the 
Gentiles.  But  at  that  time  there  will  take  place  a 
national  restoration,  a  bringing  together  of  the 
house  of  Judah  and  of  Israel.  It  is  the  same  figure 
as  used  in  the  vision  of  the  dry  bones  in  Ezekiel 
xxxvii.  This  vision  is  employed  by  the  men,  who 
have  invented  the  theory  of  a  second  chance  and 
larger  hope*  for  the  wicked  dead  to  back  up  their 
evil  teaching,  but  anyone  can  see  that  it  concerns 
not  the  Gentiles  but  the  Jewish  people  and  that  it  is 
not  a  bodily  resurrection,  but  a  national  revival  and 
restoration  of  that  people.  Their  national  graves, 
not  literal  burying  places,  will  be  opened  and  the 
Lord  will  bring  them  forth  out  of  all  the  countries 
into  which  they  have  been  scattered.  The  same  dis- 
tinction holds  good,  which  we  have  already  pointed 
out.    The  great  mass  of  Jews,  who  cast  their  belief 

♦Millennial  Dawnism  especially  misapplies  this  passage. 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  201 

in  God  and  His  Word  to  the  winds,  who  accepted 
the  man  of  sin  and  acknowledged  the  wicked  King, 
will  face  everlasting  contempt,  but  the  remnant 
will  possess  all  things  promised  to  them  and  become 
the  heirs  of  that  Kingdom,  which  is  prepared  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world.  And  besides  the 
national  blessing  which  they  receive,  they  will  be 
in  possession  of  everlasting  life,  for  they  are  born 
again. 

The  wise  which  are  mentioned  in  verse  3  and 
those  who  turn  the  many  to  righteousness  (lit: 
teach  righteousness)  shall  then  have  their  reward. 
These  are  Jewish  witnesses,  Jewish  teachers,  whom 
God's  Spirit  enlightens  in  the  time  of  the  end  and 
who  render  a  great  service  in  the  witnessing  to  the 
truth,  most  likely  the  truths  concerning  the  great 
events  which  take  place  and  the  exhortation  with 
it  to  repent  and  walk  in  righteousness.  They  are 
mentioned  elsewhere  in  prophecy.  A  special  reward 
will  be  theirs  in  occupying  a  prominent  place  In  the 
Kingdom  indicated  by  the  words  "shine  as  the 
stars  forever  and  ever." 

The  reward  of  the  church  saints  and  those  who 
bear  a  testimony  now,  teaching  that  better  right- 
eousness and  declaring  the  whole  counsel  of  God, 
is  not  taught  here.  But  we  know  it  will  be  a  far 
greater  reward  in  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  above  the 
earth,  than  the  reward  in  the  earthly  Kingdom. 
What  an  incentive  this  ought  to  be  to  be  loyal  to 
an  absent,  but  soon  coming  Lord ! 

Daniel  Addressed.  After  this  prophecy  concern- 
ing the  time  of  the  end,  the  great  tribulation,  the 


202  THE  PROPHET  DANIELi 

national  resoration,  the  judgment  of  the  apostates 
and  the  blessings  for  the  faithful  part  of  the  nation, 
the  Man  greatly  beloved  is  addressed  in  verse  4. 

But  thou,  O  Daniel,  shut  up  the  words,  and  seal  the 
book,  even  to  the  time  of  the  end:  many  shall  run  to 
and  fro,  and  knowledge  shall  be  increased. 

The  sealing  of  the  book  means  that  for  the  use 
at  that  time,  the  prophecy  was  like  a  closed  book. 
What  a  contrast  with  the  Revelation  in  the  New 
Testament,  where  John  the  Penman  is  expressly 
told  not  to  seal  the  sayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this 
book,  for  the  time  is  at  hand.  To  Daniel  much  was 
unintelligent,  his  great  book  was  to  be  sealed,  but  in 
New  Testament  times  nothing  is  sealed  or  shut  up. 
The  Holy  Spirit  has  come.  We  have  a  complete 
revelation.  The  great  New  Testament  book  of 
Prophecy,  "the  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,"  is  an 
unveiling  and  through  its  great  message  we  can  un- 
derstand, as  God  in  His  infinite  Grace  has  permitted 
us  in  a  little  measure  in  these  pages,  the  visions 
and  prophecies  of  Daniel,  concerning  the  time  of 
the  end.  We  often  hear  people  say  it  is  no  use  to 
read  Revelation  or  the  Book  of  Daniel,  for  these 
are  sealed  books.  Even  preachers  and  Christian 
teachers  speak  thus.  If  it  is  not  ignorance,  such 
language  expresses  sheer  laziness  to  turn  with  dili- 
gence to  what  God  has  given  and  what  God  is  will- 
ing to  unfold  to  our  hearts. 

Yet  to  Daniel's  people  the  Book  is  still  shut  up 
and  sealed,  not  to  us  as  Christians.  When  the  time 
of  the  end  comes  the  wise  among  them  will  see  and 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  203 

understand.  And  that  will  be  the  time  when 
"many  shall  run  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge  shall  be 
increased."  This  is  true  in  a  certain  sense  now  and 
is  a  sign  of  the  times.  But  the  fulfillment  comes 
when  the  time  of  the  end  is  reached. 

Daniel  Beholds  Angels.  The  Man  Clothed  in 
Linen.  Daniel's  Question.  And  now  the  great 
book  draws  to  its  close.  It  is  the  epilogue  of  this 
great  Book. 

Then  I  Daniel  looked^  and,  behold,  there  stood  other 
two,  the  one  on  this  side  of  the  bank  of  the  river,  and 
the  other  on  that  side  of  the  bank  of  the  river.  And 
one  said  to  the  man  clothed  in  Hnen,  which  was  upon 
the  waters  of  the  river,  How  long  shall  it  be  to  the  end 
of  these  wonders?  And  I  heard  the  man  clothed  in 
linen,  which  was  upon  the  waters  of  the  river,  when 
he  held  up  his  right  hand  and  his  left  hand  unto 
heaven,  and  sware  by  him  that  liveth  for  ever,  that  it 
shall  be  for  a  time,  times,  and  a  half  and  when  he 
shall  have  accomplished  to  scatter  the  power  of  the 
holy  people,  all  these  things  shall  be  finished.  And  I 
heard,  but  I  understood  not:  then  said  I,  O  my  Lord, 
what  shall  be  the  end  of  these  things?  And  he  said, 
Go  thy  way,  Daniel:  for  the  words  are  closed  up  and 
sealed  till  the  time  of  the  end.  Many  shall  be  purified, 
and  made  white,  and  tried;  but  the  wicked  shall  do 
wickedly :  and  none  of  the  wicked  shall  understand,  but 
the  wise  shall  understand  (verses  5-10), 

We  do  not  enter  fully  into  these  words.  The 
river  is  the  same  mentioned  in  the  tenth  chapter, 
the  river  Hiddekel.  Two  angels  are  there  and  the 
Man  clothed  in  linen.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
the  man  in   linen  is  the  same,  who  appeared  to 


204  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

Daniel  in  the  beginning  of  this  final  great  vision. 
(Chapter  x.  5.)  It  is  the  Lord  Himself.  One  of  the 
angels  addresses  a  question  to  Him.  "How  long 
shall  it  be  to  the  end  of  these  wonders?"  In  other 
words,  how  long  shall  this  time  of  trouble  last.  We 
may  read  here  Revel,  x.  1-6. 

And  I  saw  another  mighty  angel  come  down  from 
heaven,  clothed  with  a  cloud :  and  a  rainbow  was  upon 
his  head,  and  his  face  was  as  it  were  the  sun,  and  his 
feet  as  pillars  of  fire.  And  he  had  in  his  hand  a  little 
book  open;  and  he  set  his  right  foot  upon  the  sea,  and 
his  left  foot  on  the  earth.  And  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
as  when  a  lion  roareth:  and  when  he  had  cried,  seven 
thunders  uttered  their  voices.  And  when  the  seven 
thunders  had  uttered  their  voices,  I  was  about  to  write : 
and  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me,  Seal 
up  those  things  which  the  seven  thunders  uttered,  and 
write  them  not.  And  the  angel  which  I  saw  stand  upon 
the  sea,  and  upon  the  earth  lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven. 
And  sware  by  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  who 
created  heaven,  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and 
the  earth,  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and  the  sea, 
and  the  things  which  are  therein,  that  there  should  be 
time  no  longer. 

Here  we  have  the  same  person  in  the  form  of  a 
mighty  angel.  This  mighty  angel  is  an  uncreated 
Being  and  the  description  and  action  recorded  here 
fit  only  one  and  that  is  our  Lord. 

He  answers  the  question  Daniel  heard  asked  of 
Him.  These  things  shall  last  "time,  times  and  a 
half,"  that  is  3^  years  or  42  months,  the  duration 
of  the  great  tribulation  during  which  the  little  horn 
(see  Daniel  vii.  25)  and  the  Antichrist  under  Satanic 
power  will  domineer  and  the  King  of  the  North 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  205 

enters  Israel's  land.  The  duration  of  this  great 
trouble  is  therefore  announced  once  more,  and  when 
the  wicked  little  horn  will  be  through  with  his  part 
of  the  work.  And  Daniel  heard  all  these  words  and 
he  had  to  add,  though  all  these  great  things  had  been 
witnessed  by  him  and  he  was  so  near  to  the  Lord,  *T 
understood  not."  All  was  mystery  to  him  once  more. 
How  far  better  is  our  lot  in  possessing  the  com- 
pleted Word  of  God  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  has 
come  down  from  heaven  as  the  indwelling  and 
abiding  guest,  to  show  us  "things  to  come." 

Then  Daniel  addresses  His  Lord.  "O  my  Lord, 
what  shall  be  the  end  of  these  things?"  And 
Daniel,  the  highly  favored  prophet,  receives  a  loving 
word  from  the  Lord.  "Go,  thy  way,  Daniel;  for 
the  words  are  closed  up  and  sealed  till  the  time 
of  the  end."  The  tenth  verse  applies  to  the  time 
of  the  end  and  not  to  our  times  at  all.  Two  classes 
will  then  exist,  as  seen  before,  among  Daniel's 
people.  Many,  who  believe ;  these  will  be  purified, 
made  white  and  tried.  They  will  be  brought 
through  the  fire.  These  will  understand  in  those 
dreadful  days.  The  unbelieving  mass  will  do  wick- 
edly and  they  will  be  blinded.  Similar  conditions 
prevail  in  Christendom.  May  all,  who  are  the 
Lord's  have  indeed  understanding.  Alas !  the  great 
mass  is  blinded  by  the  god  of  this  age  and  do  not 
understand. 

The  End  of  these  Things.  The  1290  and  1335 
Days.  Daniel  had  received  a  loving  answer  from 
the  Lord  and  at  the  same  time  his  question  is  an- 
swered. 


^o6  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

And  from  the  time  that  the  daily  sacrifice  shall  be 
taken  away,  and  the  abomination  that  maketh  desolate 
set  up,  there  shall  be  a  thousand  two  hundred  and 
ninety  days.  Blessed  is  he  who  waiteth,  and  cometh  to 
the  thousand  three  hundred  and  five  and  thirty  days 
(verses  11-12). 

For  many  readers  of  Daniel  these  words  have 
been  very  puzzling.  One  might  truly  say,  that  the 
expositors  whose  commentaries  are  mostly  used 
have  only  darkened  this  final  word  addressed  to 
Daniel.    One  of  these  wrote  in  1825  the  following: 

"Adrian's  temple,  built  in  the  place  of  God's 
Temple  at  Jerusalem,  the  church  of  St.  Sophia 
turned  into  a  Mohammedan  mosque,  etc.,  etc.,  may 
be  termed  abominations  that  make  desolate.  Per- 
haps Mohammedanism  may  be  the  abomination; 
which  sprang  up,  A.  D.  612.  If  we  reckon  one  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  ninety  years,  ver.  11,  from 
that  time,  it  will  bring  us  down  to  A.  D.  1902,  when 
we  might  presume,  from  this  calculation,,  that  the 
religion  of  the  false  prophet  will  cease  to  prevail  in 
the  world.  Which,  from  the  present  year  1825,  is 
distant  only  seventy-seven  years." 

But  his  calculations  have  proven  incorrect.  He 
makes  the  building  of  the  mosques  of  Moham- 
medanism the  abomination.  We  have  seen  what 
the  abomination  is  which  will  happen  in  Jerusalem 
in  the  middle  of  the  week,  when  Antichrist  mani- 
fests his  full  power  and  the  other  Beast  breaks  the 
covenant.  Others  by  not  comparing  Scripture  with 
Scripture  and  not  understanding  what  "the  abomin- 
ation that  maketh  desolate"   is,  have  given  other 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  207 

years  as  the  probable  date  when  the  Lord  comes. 
They  have  all  failed.  And  if  others  arise,  as  no 
doubt  they  will,  and  make  other  speculative  asser- 
tions concerning  the  time,  they  will  likewise  fail. 

But  what  is  the  meaning  of  these  1290  and  1335 
days?  Can  there  be  anything  plainer  than  the  fact 
that  these  1290  and  1335  days  are  literal  days? 
Who  authorizes  us  to  make  of  these  days  years? 
By  what  process  of  exposition  are  we  to  arrive  at 
the  conclusion  that  "days"  mean  "years?"  It  is 
worse  than  folly  to  do  that. 

Now  the  great  tribulation  lasts  for  1260  days. 
But  here  we  have  30  days  or  a  whole  month  added. 
The  Lord  will  be  manifested  at  the  close  of  the 
great  tribulation  of  1260  days,  3^  years.  Mat- 
thew xxiv.  29-31  teaches  us  this.  The  extra  month 
will  in  all  probability  be  needed  to  make  possible 
certain  judgment  events  especially  with  the  over- 
throw of  the  nations,  which  came  against  Jeru- 
salem and  the  judgment  of  nations  as  given  in  Mat- 
thew XXV.  31.  We  cannot  speak  dogmatically  on 
all  this.  But  certain  it  is  that  1335  days  after  the 
Antichristian  abomination  had  been  set  up  in  Jeru- 
salem, that  is  75  days,  or  1^  months  beyond  the 
time  of  the  great  tribulation,  the  full  blessing  for 
Israel  and  the  establishment  of  the  glorious  rule  of 
Israel's  King,  the  once  rejected  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
will  have  come,  for  it  is  written,  "Blessed  is  he 
that  waiteth  and  cometh  to  the  thousand,  three 
hundred  and  five  and  thirty  days."  This  is  as  far  as 
any  teacher  can  safely  go  and  here  we  would  rest. 

And  Daniel,  the  man  greatly  beloved,  the  loyal 


2o8  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

servant  of  God,  the  faithful  Daniel,  the  blessed 
Daniel,  the  seer  of  the  greatest  visions,  next  to  the 
visions  of  the  beloved  disciple  John — what  about 
Daniel? 

"But  go  thou  thy  way  till  the  end  be:  for  thou 
shalt  rest,  and  stand  in  thy  lot  at  the  end  of  the 
days." 

Thrice  blessed  word!  He  has  entered  into  his 
rest,  the  rest  of  the  Saints  of  the  Lord.  In  that 
blessed  day,  which  may  soon  be  here,  when  the 
Lord  descends  from  heaven  with  a  shout  and  the 
dead  in  Christ  will  be  raised,  Daniel  will  share  in 
that  coming  Glory.  What  a  glorious  lot  will  be  his, 
when  the  day  of  Glory  comes  for  all  the  Saints  of 
God! 

Our  task  is  finished.  Humbly  we  lay  this  little, 
imperfect  exposition  of  the  Book  of  Daniel,  at  the 
feet  of  our  ever  gracious  and  blessed  Lord.  May  it 
please  Him  to  use  what  we  have  written  in  depend- 
ence upon  Himself,  to  encourage  His  people  in  their 
waiting  for  Himself.  The  time  is  near.  Never  be- 
fore has  there  been  such  a  need  to  study  the  won- 
derful prophecies  of  Daniel  and  the  corresponding 
prophetic  book,  the  Revelation,  as  now.  A  little 
time  is  left  to  do  so.  And  may  it  please  God,  that 
all  His  redeemed  people  may  walk  in  closer  fellow- 
ship with  the  Lord  and  manifest  in  their  lives  the 
Grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

THE  END 


THE  AUTHENTICITY  OF  THE  BOOK  OF 
DANIEL 

The  following  are  the  more  important  of  the  argu- 
ments which  evidence  the  genuineness  of  the  book. 

1.  The  existence  and  authority  of  the  book  are  most 
decidedly  testified  by  the  New  Testament.  Christ 
himself  refers  to  it  (Matt.  xxiv.  15),  and  gives  him- 
self (in  virtue  of  the  expression  in  Dan.  vii.  13)  the 
name  of  Son  of  Man;  while  the  Apostles  repeatedly 
appeal  to  it  as  an  authority  {ex.  gr.,  1  Cor.  vi.  2;  2 
Thess.  ii.  3;  Heb.  xi.  33,  sq.)  To  the  objection  that 
Christ  and  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  are  here 
no  real  authority,  inasmuch  as  they  accommodate 
themselves  to  the  Jewish  notions  and  views,  we  reply 
that  the  genuineness  of  the  book  of  Daniel  is  so  closely 
connected  with  the  truth  of  its  contents — in  other 
words,  that  the  authenticity  of  the  book  is  so  imme- 
diately connected  with  its  authority — that  it  is  im- 
possible to  doubt  the  genuineness,  without  suspecting 
at  the  same  time  a  wilful  fraud  and  cheat  in  its  con- 
tents; so  that  the  accommodation  in  this  case  to  na- 
tional views  wlould  be  tantamount  to  wilfully  con- 
firming and  sanctioning  an  unpardonable  fraud. 

2.  The  period  of  the  exile  would  be  altogether  in- 
comprehensible without  the  existence  of  a  man  like 
Daniel,  exercising  great  influence  upon  his  own  people, 
and  whose  return  to  Palestine  was  effected  by  means 

209 


210  APPENDIX 

of  his  high  station  in  the  state,  as  well  as  through  the 
peculiar  assistance  of  God  with  which  he  was  favored. 
Without  this  assumption,  it  is  impossible  to  explain 
the  continued  state  of  independence  of  the  people  of 
God  during  that  period,  or  to  account  for  the  inter- 
est which  Cyrus  took  in  their  affairs.  The  exile  and 
its  termination  are  indicative  of  uncommon  acts  of 
God  towards  highly-gifted  and  favored  men ;  and  the 
appearance  of  such  a  man  as  Daniel  is  described  in 
that  book  to  have  been,  is  an  indispensable  requisite 
for  the  right  understanding  of  this  portion  of  the 
Jewish  history. 

3.  An  important  hint  of  the  existence  of  the  book 
in  the  time  of  Alexander  is  found  in  Josephus,  Antiq., 
xi.  8,  4,  according  to  which  the  prophecies  of  Daniel 
had  been  pointed  out  to  that  king  on  his  entrance 
into  Jerusalem.  It  is  true  that  the  fact  may  have 
been  somewhat  embellished  in  its  details  by 
Josephus;  yet  is  it  historically  undeniable  that  Alex- 
ander did  bestow  great  favors  on  the  Jews,  a  circum- 
stance which  is  not  easily  explained  without  grant- 
ing the  fact  recorded  by  Josephus  to  be  true  in  the 
main. 

4.  The  first  book  of  the  Maccabees,  which  is  al- 
most contemporary  with  the  events  related  in  it,  not 
only  pre-supposes  the  existence  of  the  book  of  Daniel, 
but  actually  betrays  acquaintance  with  the  Alexan- 
drian version  of  the  same  ( i  Mace.  i.  54 ;  comp.  Dan. 
ix.  2y;  ii.  59;  oomp.  Dan.  iii.) — a  proof  that  the  book 
must  have  been  written  long  before  that  period. 

5.  If  the  book  had  been  written  in  the  Maccabsean 
period,  there  would  probably  have  been  produced  in 


APPENDIX  211 

that  period  some  similar  prophetic  and  apocalyptic 
productions,  composed  by  Palestine  Jews.  Of  such, 
however,  not  the  slightest  trace  can  anywhere  be 
found ;  so  that  our  book — if  of  the  Maccabsean  time — 
thus  forms  an  isolated  enigmatic  phenomenon  in  the 
later  Jewish  literature. 

6.  The  reception  of  the  book  into  the  canon  is  also 
an  evidence  of  its  authenticity.  In  the  Maccabsean 
age  the  canon  had  long  been  completed  and  closed; 
but  even  doubting  that  point,  it  is  not  likely  that,  at 
a  time  when  so  much  scrupulous  adherence  was  shown 
towards  all  that  was  hallowed  by  time  and  old  usage, 
and  when  Scriptural  literature  was  already  flourish- 
ing— it  is  not  probable,  we  say,  that  a  production  then 
recent  should  have  been  raised  to  the  rank  of  a  canoni- 
cal book. 

7.  We  have  an  important  testimony  for  the  authen- 
ticity of  the  book  in  Ezekiel  xiv.  14,  20;  xxviii.  3. 
Daniel  is  tJiere  represented  as  an  unusual  character, 
as  a  model  of  justice  and  wisdom,  to  whom  had  been 
allotted  superior  divine  insight  and  revelation.  This 
sketch  perfectly  agrees  with  that  contained  in  our 
book. 

8.  The  book  betrays  such  an  intimate  acquain- 
tance with  Chaldaean  manners,  customs,  history,  and 
religion,  as  none  but  a  contemporary  writer  could 
fairly  be  supposed  to  possess.  Thus,  ex.  gr.,  the  de- 
scription of  the  Chaldaean  magians  and  their  regula- 
tions perfectly  agrees  with  the  accounts  of  the  classics 
respecting  them.  The  account  of  the  illness  and  in- 
sanity of  Nebuchadnezzar  is  confirmed  by  Berosus 
(in  Joseph,  c,  Apion.  i.  20).     The  edict  of  Darius 


212  APPENDIX 

the  Mede  (Dan.  v.)  may  be  satisfactorily  explained 
from  the  notions  peculiar  to  the  Medo-Persian  reli- 
gion, and  the  importance  attached  in  it  to  the  king, 
who  was  considered  as  a  sort  of  incarnate  deity. 

9.  The  religious  views,  the  ardent  belief  in  the 
Messiah,  the  purity  of  that  belief,  the  absence  of  all 
the  notions  and  ceremonial  practices  of  later  Juda- 
ism, etc.,  the  agreement  of  the  book  in  these  respects 
with  the  genuine  prophetic  books,  and  more  especially 
with  the  prophets  in  and  after  the  exile, — all  this  tes- 
tifies to  the  genuineness  of  Daniel. 

10.  The  linguistic  character  of  the  book  is  most 
decisive  for  its  authenticity.  In  the  first  instance,  the 
language  in  it,  by  turns  Hebrew  and  Aramaean,  is 
particularly  remarkable.  In  that  respect,  the  book 
bears  a  close  analogy  to  that  of  Ezra.  The  author 
must  certainly  have  been  equally  conversant  with  both 
languages — an  attainment  exactly  suited  to  a  Hebrew 
living  in  exile,  but  not  in  the  least  so  to  an  author  in 
the  Maccabsean  age,  when  the  Hebrew  had  long  since 
ceased  to  be  a  living  language,  and  had  been  sup- 
planted by  the  Aramaean  vernacular  dialect.  The 
Hebrew  in  Daniel  bears,  moreover,  a  very  great  affin- 
ity to  that  in  the  other  later  books  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment; and  has,  in  particular,  idioms  in  common  with 
Ezekiel.  The  Aramic,  also,  in  the  book  differs  mate- 
rially from  the  prevailing  dialect  of  the  later  Chal- 
daean  paraphrastic  versions  of  the  Old  Testament,  and 
has  much  more  relation  to  the  idiom  of  the  book  of 
Ezra. — Kitto's  Encyclop. 


QUESTIONS  ON  THE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL. 

We  suggest  to  our  readers  who  desire  to  study  the 
book  of  Daniel  in  a  thorough  way  that  they  first  read 
through  this  exposition  as  they  would  read  any  other 
book.  Then  give  it  a  second  careful  reading,  study- 
ing every  chapter  in  its  details.  After  this  is  done 
to  refresh  the  memory  these  questions  may  be  taken 
up.  The  answers  to  the  questions  are  found,  follow- 
ing this  catechism. 

1.  What  is  Prophecy? 

2.  What  has  resulted  from  the  neglected  study  of 
the  prophetic  Word  ? 

3.  Why  is  the  study  of  Daniel  of  such  im.portance? 

4.  What  does  Higher  Criticism  claim  ? 

5.  Whom  do  most  critics  follow  in  rejecting  the 
authenticity  of  this  book? 

6.  What  is  the  Highest  authority  that  Daniel  wrote 
this  book  ? 

7.  Give  the  Divisions  of  the  Book  ? 

8.  In  how  many  languages  is  it  written  ? 

9.  What  is  the  First  Chapter? 

10.  Who  was  chosen  to  take  Jerusalem? 

11.  How  often  did  he  come  against  the  City? 

12.  When  did  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  begin  ? 

13.  Give  a  leading  characteristic  of  the  times  of 
the  Gentiles  ? 

14.  Through  whom  was  the  work  and  calling  of  the 
King  of  Babylon  announced? 

213 


214  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL' 

15.  Is  the  church  mentioned   in  Daniel   and   why 
not? 

16.  What  occasioned  the  dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar? 

17.  How  was  the  forgotten  dream  revealed? 

18.  What  does  the  phrase  'latter  days"  mean  ? 

19.  How  many  parts  were  to  the  dream  image? 

20.  What  happened  to  the  image  ? 

21.  What  does  the  image  represent? 

22.  Give  a  corresponding  term  of  this  age  found  in 
the  New  Testament? 

2^.  Give   the   prophetic  meaning   of   the   different 
metals  ? 

24.  What  lesson  does  it  teach  ? 

25.  What  is  to  be  the  final  form  of  the  times  of 
the  Gentiles? 

26.  Has  this  been  reached  ? 

27.  What  does  the  clay  represent? 

28.  What  is  to  be  the  end  of  the  times  of   the 
Gentiles  ? 

29.  Who  is  represented  by  the  stone? 

30.  Give  a  N.  T.  passage  which  verifies  this  ? 

31.  Why  is  the  striking  stone  not  the  type  of  the 
First  Coming  of  Christ? 

32.  What  has  to  be  before  the  stone  can  smite  the 
image  ? 

33.  Could  the  stone  mean  the  peaceful  extension  of 
the  kingdom? 

34.  When  does  the  kingdom  come? 

35.  How  did  Nebuchadnezzar  acknowledge  God? 

36.  WTiat  happened  to  Daniel  and  his  companions  ? 

37.  State  the  typical  meaning  of  Chapters  iii-vi  ? 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  215 

^8.  Give  the  dimensions  of  the  image  of  gold  the 
king  set  up? 

39.  According  to  Revelation  will  this  be  repeated  ? 

40.  When  and  how? 

41.  Has  the  ancient  Babylonish  worship  been  re- 
produced on  Gentile  ground? 

42.  Who  refused  to  worship  the  image  ? 

43.  What  does  the  fiery  furnace  foreshadow? 

44.  Will  this  be  repeated  in  the  end  of  the  age? 

45.  Wh2it  is  reported  in  Chapter  iv? 

46.  What  happened  to  Nebuchadnezzar? 

47.  Why  was  he  humbled  ? 

48.  What  do  the  seven  times  mean  ? 

49.  What  is  the  moral  characteristic  foreshadowed 
in  this  chapter  ? 

50.  What  is  the  last  record  about  Nebuchadnezzar? 

51.  Who  was  Belshazzar? 

52.  What  did  the  critics  claim  and  how  wore  they 
defeated  ? 

53.  Why  is  he  called  the  son  of  Nebuchadnezzar? 

54.  What  did  Daniel  announce  in  ipferpreting  the 
handwriting  on  the  wall  ? 

55.  When  did  it  happen? 

56.  What   characteristic    is    foreshadowed   in   this 
event? 

57.  What  decree  was  made  by  Darius  the  Mede? 

58.  WTiat  position  did  Daniel  receive  and  what  was 
his  age? 

59.  What  does  Daniel  in  the  lions*  den   and  his 
deliverance  foreshadow  ? 

60.  What  is  the  characteristic  of  the  sixth  chapter? 


2i6  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

6i.  Has  this  been  repeated? 
62.  Will  it  find  a  repetition  in  the  future  ? 
6^.  What    does    Daniel's     deliverance    also    fore- 
shadow ? 

64.  Who  came  then  upon  the  scene  ? 

65.  Who  had  announced  this  king  a  hundred  years 
before  his  birth  ? 

66.  Give  the  second  part  of  the  Book  of  Daniel. 
Gy.  How  many  visions  does  it  contain  ? 

68.  How  many  visions  are  found  in  Chapter  vii  ? 

69.  Name  them  ? 

70.  What  did  Daniel  see  again? 

71.  What  additional  revelation  Avas  given  to  Daniel? 
'/2.  Who  is  the  Ancient  of  days? 

y:^.  What  judgment  is  here  revealed? 

74.  Who  is  the  Son  of  Man  ? 

75.  When  w^ll  the  kingdom  be  established? 
';^6.  Who  is  the  little  horn  ? 

yy.  What  has  to  happen  first  before  this  horn  can 
appear  ? 

78.  Where  else  is  this  revealed  ? 

79.  Name  the  three  great  actors  of  the  end  time? 

80.  What  will  happen  to  the  little  horn  ? 

81.  Who  will  receive  the  kingdom? 

82.  What  vision  is  found  in  the  eighth  chapter  ? 

83.  Who  is  the  Ram? 

84.  Name    the    corresponding    characteristics    with 
the  second  beast  in  Chapter  vii  ? 

85.  Who  is  the  he-goat  ? 

86.  Name  the  corresponding  characteristics  with  the 
third  beast  in  Chapter  vii  ? 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  217 

87.  Who  is  the  notable  horn  ? 

88.  What  happened  to  his  empire  ? 

89.  Out  of  what  division   did  a  httle  horn  come 
forth? 

90.  Is  this  Httle  horn  the  same  as  in  Chapter  vii  ? 

91.  Why  not? 

92.  What  is  the  fulfillment  ? 

93.  What  do  the  2,300  days  represent? 

94.  Is  there  to  be  a  future  fulfillment  ? 

95.  When? 

96.  Who  is  the  King  with  the  fierce  countenance? 

97.  What  other  portions  of  Prophecy  confirm  this? 

98.  From  where  will  this  King  of  the  North  arise? 

99.  In   what  other  chapter  do  we  find   this  king 
mentioned  ? 

100.  What  was  Daniel's  occupation  in  the  first  year 
of  Darius? 

loi.  What  did  he  discover. 

102.  Give  the  leading  characteristic  of  his  prayer. 

103.  What  else  did  he  express  ? 

104.  How  was  his  prayer  interrupted  ? 

105.  What  did  Gabriel  bring  to  him? 

106.  What  was  announced  in  this  prophecy? 

107.  What  does  the  term  "Seventy  weeks"  mean? 

108.  What  is  to  be  accomplished  in  this  period  of 
time? 

109.  Has  this  anything  to  do  with  the  church  ? 
no.  Give  the  division  of  these  seventy  weeks. 

111.  When  did  the  Seventy  weeks  begin ? 

112.  When  was  the  rebuilding  of  the  City  of  Jeru- 
salem accomplished  ? 


2i8  THE  PROPHET  DANIEI] 

113.  What  have  the  critics  invented  to  deny  the 
revelation  in  this  chapter? 

114.  When  was  Messiah  to  be  cut  off? 

115.  How  do  we  know  that  the  term  "Messiah  the 
prince"  means  Qirist? 

116.  When  did  the  483  years  expire? 

117.  How   was   the  prediction   of    the   destruction 
of  the  city  fulfilled? 

1 18.  Who  is  the  Prince  that  shall  come  ? 

119.  What  else  was  predicted? 

120.  What  interrupted  the  course  of  these  seventy 
weeks? 

121.  Wliat  is  the  unreckoned  period  between  the 
69th  and  70th  week  ? 

122.  Who    confirms    a    covenant    during   the    last 
week? 

123.  Why  can  it  not  mean  Christ? 

124.  When  will  the  prince  break  the  covenant? 

125.  By  what  other  name  is  the  last  half  of  the 
70th  week  called  ? 

126.  What  is  the  abomination? 

127.  Who  is  the  desolator? 

128.  What  is  that  which  is  determined  upon  him 

129.  What  does  the  tenth  chapter  contain? 

130.  Where  was  Daniel? 

131.  For  how  long  did  he  mourn  and  fast  without 
receiving  an  answer? 

132.  Who  is  the  certain  man  clothed  in  linen? 

133.  With  what  other  vision  does  this  correspond? 

134.  What  is  the  mystery  of  the  delayed  answer? 

135.  Who  is  the  prince  of  the  kingdom  of  Persia? 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  219 

136.  Who  is  Michael? 

137.  What  is  the  important  statement  in  the  angelic 
message? 

138.  What  happened  to  Daniel  ? 

139.  What  are  the  contents  of  Chapter  xi  :2-35? 

140.  Have  these  prophecies  been  fulfilled? 

141.  When  were  they  fulfilled? 

142.  Where  in  Chapter  xi  is  the  time  of  the  end 
introduced  ? 

143.  Who  is  the  wilful  King? 

144.  Why  is  he  not  Antiochus,  or  the  two  little 
horns  ? 

145.  Where  has  this  king  his  seat? 

146.  What  N.  T.  prophecy  describes  this  king? 

147.  Where  is  he  described  in  the  Book  of  Revela- 
tion? 

148.  What  is  yet  to  be  fulfilled? 

149.  Who  is  the  King  of  the  North? 

1 50.  What  will  be  his  end  ? 

151.  What  period  of  time  is  before  us  in  Chapter 
xii? 

152.  Who  will  act  in  behalf  of  the  people  Israel? 

153.  What  does  the  rising  from  the  dust  mean? 

154.  What  two  classes  of  Israelites  are  described? 

155.  What  else  will  happen  in  this  time  of  the  end? 

156.  What  are  the  1290  days  and  the  1335  days? 


THE  ANSWERS  TO  THE  QUESTIONS. 

1.  Prophecy  is  history  typewritten. 

2.  A  most  powerful  weapon  against  infidelity  has 
been  lost  and  an  unscriptural  optimism  as  well  as 
worldliness  of  the  professing  church  has  resulted. 

3.  Because  the  Book  of  Daniel  is  the  key  to  God's 
purposes  concerning  the  earth. 

4.  That  Daniel  did  not  write  this  Book  during  the 
captivity,  but  that  the  author  was  a  pious  Jew,  who 
wrote  after  Antiochus  had  appeared. 

5.  Porphyry,  a  pagan  philosopher. 

6.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ.    Matthew  xxiv:i5. 

7.  First  Part:  Chapters  i-vi.  Second  Part:  Chap- 
ters vii-xii. 

8.  In  two  languages  :  Aramaic  and  Hebrew. 

9.  The  Introduction  to  the  Book. 

10.  Nebuchadnezzar  the  King  of  Babylon. 

11.  Three  times.    The  first  time  in  606  B.  C. 

12.  With  his  first  coming  against  Jerusalem. 

13.  Jerusalem  being  trodden  down  by  the  Gentiles. 

14.  Through  Jeremiah,  Chapter  xxvii:5,  etc. 

15.  No.  Because  the  church  was  not  revealed  in 
former  ages.    Ephes.  iii. 

16.  He  thought  upon  the  future  and  what  should 
come  to  pass. 

17.  After  the  prayer  of  Daniel  and  his  companions. 

18.  The  end  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles. 

19.  Four  parts.  The  image  composed  of  Gold, 
Silver,  Brass,  Iron  and  in  the  feet  iron  and  clay 
mixed  together. 

220 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  221 

20.  It  was  destroyed  by  a  stone  which  fell  out  of 
heaven. 

21.  The  Times  of  the  Gentiles. 

22.  Man's  Day.    Margin  of  i  Corinth.  iv:3. 

23.  Gold :  The  Babylonian  Empire.  Silver :  The 
Medo-Persian.  Brass:  The  Graeco-Macedonian. 
Iron:    The  Roman  Empire. 

24.  The  lesson  of  deterioration.  The  times  of  the 
Gentiles  do  not  improve. 

25.  Ten  toes  representing  ten  kingdoms. 
2.6.  Not  yet. 

27.  The  rule  of  the  people  in  opposition  to  the  iron 
rule,  the  monarchical  form  of  government. 

28.  A  great  judgment  catastrophe. 

29.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

30.  Matthew  xxi  144. 

31.  Because  when  the  Lord  came  the  first  time  the 
Roman  Empire  was  a  unit  and  the  division  into  the 
East  Roman  and  West  Roman  empire  had  not  yet 
taken  place,  nor  were  there  the  ten  toes  in  existence. 

32.  The  ten  kingdoms  and  a  revival  of  the  Roman 
Power. 

33.  No.  For  the  stone  smites  the  whole  image  and 
tinder  its  powerful  blow  it  collapses  completely. 

34.  After  the  stone  has  done  its  smiting  work. 

35.  He  acknowledged  God  in  a  three-fold  way. 

36.  They  were  promoted. 

37.  The  moral  and  religious  characteristics  of  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles  are  foreshadowed  in  these 
chapters. 

38.  Sixty  cubits  high  and  six  cubits  broad. 


223  THE  PROPHET  DANIEU 

39.  Yes.  See  Revelation  xiii.  The  second  beast 
sets  up  an  image. 

40.  During  the  time  of  the  end,  the  great  tribulation. 
The  number  of  the  Antichrist  is  666. 

41.  Yes,  in  the  Romish  church. 

42.  The  three  companions  of  Daniel. 

43.  The  tribulations  and  persecutions  of  Saints 
under  pagan  and  papal  Rome,  the  other  Babylon. 

44.  Yes,  during  THE  great  tribulation. 

45.  Another  dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar. 

46.  He  was  degraded  and  became  a  beast 

47.  On  account  of  his  pride. 

48.  Seven  years. 

49.  Great  pride  and  self-exaltation. 

50.  He  praised  God. 

51.  Belshazzar  was  the  grandson  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar; his  father  was  Nabonnaid  and  his  mother 
a  daughter  of  Nebuchadnezzar. 

53.  They  denied  for  a  long  time  his  existence.  The 
annalistic  tablets  of  Nabonnaid  silenced  them. 

53.  Because  the  Aramaic  language  has  no  word  for 
grandson  or  grandfather. 

54.  The  doom  of  Babylon. 

55.  That  very  night  when  Balshazzar  died  and 
Babylon  w^s  taken  hy  the  Medes. 

56.  Impiety  and  blasphemy. 

57.  That  he  should  be  addressed  in  prayer  for  30 
days. 

58.  One  of  the  presidents.  He  was  over  80  years 
of  age. 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  223 

59.  The  blessed  Gospel  and  Him  who  went  into 
death  as  well  as  the  tomb,  which  was  sealed. 

60.  Man-worship. 

61.  Yes,  throughout  the  times  of  the  Gentiles. 

62.  Yies,  during  the  great  tribulation.  The  Anti- 
christ will  demand  worship  for  himself. 

62 •  The  deliverance  of  the  Jewish  remnant  of  the 
future. 

64.  Cyrus,  the  Persian. 

65.  The  Prophet  Isaiah.    Chapters  xliv  and  xlv. 

66.  Chapters  vii-xii. 

6y.  Pour.  The  visions  of  the  seventh  chapter. 
The  Ram  and  He-goat  vision  in  Chapter  viii.  The 
prophecy  of  the  seven  other  weeks  and  the  final 
vision. 

68.  Four  visions. 

69.  The  vision  of  the  three  beasts.  The  vision  of 
the  fourth  beast.  The  vision  of  the  Ancient  of  days 
and  the  vision  of  the  Son  of  Man  and  His  kingdom. 

70.  The  Times  of  the  Gentiles  in  their  political  his- 
tory.   This  corresponds  to  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream. 

71.  He  saw  a  little  horn  on  the  fourth  beast,  the 
Roman  Empire. 

72.  The  Son  of  God. 

73.  Not  a  universal  judgment,  but  the  judgment  of 
the  nations  at  the  second  coming  of  Christ. 

74.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

75.  After  He  has  come  the  second  time. 

y6.  The  head  of  the  reconstructed  Roman  Empire. 
77.  The  church  to  leave  the  earth  and  the  Roman 
Empire  must  be  revived. 


224  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

78.  In  Revelation  xiii. 

79.  The  head  of  the  Roman  Empire,  the  Antichrist 
and  the  King  of  the  North. 

80.  He  will  be  broken  to  pieces. 

81.  The  Saints  of  the  Most  High. 

82.  The  vision  of  the  ram  and  the  He-goat. 

83.  The  Medo-Persian  Empire. 

84.  The  bear  had  one  paw  higher,  like  the  one  horn 
of  the  ram,  which  was  stronger.  The  three  ribs  the 
bear  had  denote  the  three  directions  in  which  that 
empire  conquered. 

85.  The  Graeco-Macedonian  empire. 

86.  The  leopard  had  wings,  denoting  the  swiftness 
of  the  he-goat,  which  touched  not  the  ground.  The 
four  heads  on  the  leopard  correspond  to  the  four-fold 
division  of  the  territory  of  the  he-goat  empire. 

87.  Alexander  the  Great. 

88.  It  was  divided  among  his  four  generals. 

89.  Out  of  Syria. 

90.  No. 

91.  Because  this  little  horn  comes  out  of  one  of  the 
divisions  of  the  Graeco-Macedonian  empire,  while  the 
little  horn  in  Daniel  vii  comes  forth  out  of  the  ten 
horns  on  the  fourth, beast,  the  Roman  Power. 

92.  Antiochus  Epiphanes  fulfilled  the  description 
and  predictions  in  this  part  of  the  chapter. 

93.  Literal  days  and  NOT  years.  The  days  of  the 
tribulation  under  Antiochus. 

94.  Yes.  The  second  half  of  the  chapter  proves 
this. 

95.  During  the  end  of  the  indignation,  when  the 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL.  225 

transgressors  are  come  to  the  full,  that  is,  during  the 
great  tribulation,  the  time  of  the  end. 

96.  The  final  Assyrian  or  King  of  the  North. 

97.  Isaiah  x,  Micah  v,  Joel  ii,  and  some  of  the 
Psalms. 

98.  'Out  of  a  part  of  the  territory  of  the  former 
Grecian  empire,  the  country  which  is  now  ruled  over 
by  Turkey. 

99.  In  Chapter  xi. 

100.  He  read  in  books  concerning  the  promises  of 
God  concerning  the  end  of  the  captivity. 

loi.  That  the  time  had  almost  expired. 

102.  Humiliation  and  confession  of  sin. 

103.  He  identified  himself  with  the  sin  and  failure 
of  his  people. 

104.  By  the  appearing  of  the  man  Gabriel. 

105.  A  great  Prophecy. 

106.  The  exact  time  of  the  rebuilding  of  the  city  of 
Jerusalem,  the  coming  of  Messiah  the  Prince,  His 
death  on  the  cross,  the  destruction  of  the  city  and 
the  temple  by  the  Romans,  the  miseries  which  should 
come  upon  the  nation,  the  final  events  of  the  great 
tribulation. 

107.  Seventy  times  seven  years,  that  is,  490  years. 

108.  See  Verse  27,  Chapter  ix. 

109.  Nothing  whatever.  It  concerns  ''Daniel's 
people." 

1 10.  Seven  weeks — sixty-two  weeks — and  one  week. 
In  years :  49  years — 434  years  and  7  years. 

111.  In  the  year  445  B.  C.     When  Artaxerxes  in 


i^  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

the  20th  year  of  his  reign  gave  the  command  to  re- 
build the  city. 

112.  49  Years  after. 

113.  That  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  Christ,  but 
Onias  HI.,  the  high  priest  is  Messiah  the  Prince. 

114.  Immediately  after  the  69  year  weeks. 

115.  We  know  it  from  the  remarkable  fulfillment 
of  this  prophecy. 

116.  They  expired  on  the  day  the  Lord  Jesus  en- 
tered into  Jerusalem.  A  few  days  later  He  died  on 
the  cross  and  there  was  nothing  for  Him  in  connec- 
tion with  the  nation  and  the  earthly  kingdom. 

117.  By  the  Romans  in  the  year  70. 

118.  The  little  horn  on  Daniel  vii.  The  head  of 
the  Roman  Empire. 

119.  The  dreadful  history  of  the  Jewish  people 
down  to  the  end  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles. 

120.  The  rejection  and  death  of  Christ. 

121.  The  present  Christian  age. 

122.  The  Prince  that  shall  come;  the  little  horn  of 
Daniel  vii. 

123.  Nowhere  else  is  a  statement  made  that  Christ 
should  make  a  covenant  wiith  the  many  for  seven 
years. 

124.  In  the  middle  of  the  week,  after  1260  days  or 
42  months  have  passed. 

125.  The  Great  Tribulation. 

126.  The  setting  up  of  idols  and  idol  worship. 

127.  The  King  of  the  North,  the  final  Assyrian. 

128.  His  judgment  by  the  Coming  of  the  Lord. 

129.  The  introduction  to  the  final  vision. 


THE  PROPHET  DANIEL  227 

130.  At  the  banks  of  the  River  Hiddekel. 

131.  For  three  full  weeks. 

132.  The  Son  of  God. 

133.  With  the  vision  the  Apostle  John  had  in  the 
isle  of  Patmos. 

134.  The  prince  of  the  kingdom  of  Persia  kept  the 
heavenly  messenger  back. 

135.  A  powerful  demon  prince. 

136.  The  Archangel  with  special  mission  in  connec- 
tion with  Israel. 

137.  That  the  vision  concerns  the  latter  days. 

138.  He  fainted  and  then  was  strengthened. 

139.  The  predictions  of  the  great  wars  of  the  Pto- 
lemies and  the  Seleucidae. 

140.  Yes. 

141.  During  the  centuries  which  followed  Daniel's 
vision  and  up  to  the  coming  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes. 

142.  With  Verse  36. 

143.  The  personal  Antichrist. 

144.  Because  he  is  totally  different  from  the  other 
persons. 

145.  In  Jerusalem. 

146.  Second  Thessalonians  ii:i-7. 

147.  In   the   thirteenth    Chapter,   the   second   half. 
The  second  beast  out  of  the  land. 

148.  The  closing  verses  of  Chapter  xi. 

149.  The  final  Assyrian;  the  King  with  the  fierce 
countenance  of  Daniel  viii. 

150.  He  will  be  broken  by  the  coming  of  Christ 

151.  The  great  tribulation. 

152.  Michael,  the  prince  of  Daniel's  people. 


238  THE  PROPHET  DANIEL 

153.  The  national  restoration  of  the  people  Israd. 

154.  The  Apostates  and  the  faithful  remnant. 

155.  The  rewards  will  be  given  to  the  faithful  rem- 
nant and  there  will  be  much  running  to  and  fro  and 
knowledge  will  be  increased. 

156.  Literal  days. 


BS1556.G127 

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